Never Will You Be Alone
by steph2009
Summary: When Dawn Summers leapt through the portal, Quor'Toth and Stephen Holtz *Connor* were the last two things she expected to be waiting on the other side. As secrets are released and dangers are faced, an unbreakable bond slowly begins to build.
1. Sacrifices

**Never Will You Be Alone**

_**Sacrifices**_

Dawn Summers only felt pain and fear as the knife sliced through her dress and across her stomach. The warmth of her blood as it drippled down her feet made sickness wash over her. She could feel the power cracking in the air and knew the partol was close to opening.

Feet slapping against metal brought her attention away from her blood as it sat suspended in mid air.

"Spike!" Dawn exclaimed. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw the priest slipping up behind him. She opened her mouth to warn him, but it was too late. The same knife he had used to spill her blood was the very knife that entered Spike's stomach.

"Dawn..." Spike breathed before falling over the railing. Dawn watched him fall with mournful eyes.

"See my dear, no one is coming to save you," the priest cooed as he ran the cool edge of the bloodied knife across her cheek. Through her fear, Dawn saw red. As if on cue with her rage, her wrists began to burn. The priest's eyes widened before he too went flying over the railing. Metal chains clanked against the floor of the structure just as the portal burst open. Dawn turned toward it just as Buffy came racing up the building.

"Dawnie!" Buffy called. Dawn glanced back at her sister for a moment.

_'She will jump if I don't...'_ Dawn thought._ 'I can't watch her die...I won't survive it..'_

"I'm sorry, Buffy..." Dawn whispered before tilting over the edge where the portal sat waiting.

"DAWN!" Buffy screamed. The last image Dawn had of her sister was her tear stained cheeks as she fell to the floor, then the portal swallowed Dawn whole.


	2. Liability

**Never Will You Be Alone**

Stephen Holtz (Connor)

_**Liability**_

"Ow..." Dawn whimpered as she sat up. When she had jumped into the portal, it had felt like her whole body was being zapped by a hundred bolts of lightening. She had thought it was killing her. Instead of killing her, the portal had dropped her into a frightening forest. Her heart beat raced as she stood._ 'I don't like this!' _She exclaimed mentally._ 'I have to figure out where I am!' _Panic began to rise as she tromped through the forest. A small fire caught her eye as she stepped over a log. Against her better judgement, she headed toward it.

Stephen Holtz had just set up camp for the night as a twig snapped behind him.

"Um..exc-!" A surprised gasp came from the night as Stephen grabbed the small, delicate wrist of the interuder and slammed the decidedly female interuder to the ground. "Ow..." Came a low whisper. Stephen's eyes widened as a pair of wide green eyes stared back up at him. His body held her pinned. "Didn't mean to sneak up on you..." She apologized.

"Who are you?" He asked, still wary to let her up despite her fragile frame. His hands held a tight grip on her hands and his legs were suppressing movement from her lower half. His entire body was laid against hers.

"Dawn Summers." _'His eyes seemed to tell a story,' _Dawn realized. A silence fell over them as they stared at one another. _'His body language even more so.' _"What are you doing out here?" She had wanted to ask him just what had happened to cause his eyes to be so guarded, to make his eyes fill with so much pain.

"What are you?" Stephen returned.

"I don't know..." Dawn whispered. Stephen stared into her green eyes as he attempted to figure out what she meant by it.

"What do you mean?" He demanded._ 'Has she lost her memory?' _He wondered. A curious look came to her eyes as she stared up at him.

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you." She whispered.

"Try me," Stephen answered. As he leaned forward, his grip on her hands became worse. She didn't flinch until his wrists brushed her own. At her hiss, he glanced above them. Burns circled her wrists in the form of a cuff. His eyes widened at their severity. Stephen eased his pressure and lifted his wrists up from hers. He looked back down at her. "I'm waiting.."

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Spike pulled Buffy up from the cool metal flooring of the bloodied structure. She didn't fight him. Her eyes never left the spot where the portal that had moments before been suspended in air even as he lifted her into his arms and carried her down the stairs.

"She would have fallen down here, if she were dead right?" Willow asked Giles softly. Her own eyes were filling rapidly with tears. Tara was already crying into her shoulder while Anya was sobbing into Xander's broader shoulder.

"I don't know..." Giles answered with a thick swallow.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Stephen lifted his body off of hers as she finished her story. He wasn't sure if he fully believed her but if what she said was true, then he needed to tend to her. The smell of her blood would attract larger and more dangerous predators than him. As he lifted off, she sat up.

"Where is here?" She asked, looking around.

"Welcome to Quor'Toth, also known as hell," Stephen drawled as he stood up and dusted himself off. He extended his hand to her. "Come on, we've got to get you cleaned off.." Stephen was once more struck at her willingness to comply with him as she placed her smaller hand in his. "There's an unpolluted creek here somewhere..."

Dawn stared at his broad back as he pulled her along behind him. He seemed to be moving slowly and making as little sound as possible. Dawn tried to match his steps with her own. Every now and then, he would glare at her as she snapped a twig or crunched a leaf. He stopped as she tripped over a root and turned to her. Dawn stepped back in slight fear. She suppressed a squeal as she swept her into his arms.

"Demons here can tunnel underneath the ground," he explained. "The slightest stumble or snap can and will alert them." Dawn blushed in embarrassment as his brown eyes bore into her green.

"Sorry..." she whispered. Stephen suppressed a sigh.

"It's okay." Stephen assured before he started walking again. He could hear her racing heart beat and smell the blood in her veins as it runs through them at an accelerated rate. Worried that he might have hurt her, Stephen looked down at her. He was shocked to see her staring up at him. "What?" He whispered. A small blush formed on her cheeks.

"Nothing, it's just...you sort of look like someone my sister dated..." She explained. He blinked and attempted to figure out her body's reactions to him.

"Did you like him?" Stephen asked as he looked ahead again. He stepped over a branch and landed lightly on the wet ground as Dawn shook her head. Her heart beat was threatening to alert others of their presence. _'I'll keep her talking, only to calm her down...' _

"Not like that," she whispered. Even though she said that, her heartbeat pounded still.

"Then why does your heart race a mile per minute?" Stephen asked in the same low tone. Her blush became worse at his words.

"Well, it's just...this is awkward," she whispered, "I've just met you and you're carrying me to a creek to bathe like it's the most natural thing in the world. Just how many women have stumbled on your camp, mister?" Her last sentence had a teasing light that Stephen enjoyed briefly.

"None." Stephen answered as he manuvered them through the brush lining.

"Really?" Dawn exclaimed. A small laugh escaped him.

"Why is that so surprising?" Stephen asked, glancing down at her. Silently, he took note of her heart pounding harder.

"Well, it's just that...um..." Stephen raised an eyebrow at her. Her heart seemed to race just a little faster. "You're cute." Stephen almost stumbled at her admission. He glanced down at her in surprise. "Well, better than cute actually...you're what-" A small smile came to his face as he found off a chuckle.

"We're here," he said, interrupting what he was sure to be an embarrassing rant about his looks. He set her on her feet.

"Ah...thanks..." She seemed more nervous than before as she picked at the ruined cloth of the dark dress she had on. Stephen stilled her hands, afraid that she would rip open one of her freshly scabbed cuts. She glanced up at him with wide eyes.

"I won't peek..." He promised. She blushed and glanced over at the river.

"That's not what I'm worried about..." She looked back at him, "you don't think there are snakes in the water, do you?" Stephen's amusement threatened to burst from him in roaring laughter, but he smothered it down to a small chuckle.

"You're stuck with me, someone you just met, in a strange dimension filled with demons that eat humans for lunch and you're worried about snakes?" He chuckled. Dawn stared up at him with a soft smile on her face. His laughter cut short as he stared at that gentle smile. He suppressed the urge to reach out and touch the corners of it just to make sure it was real. No one had smiled at him like that before, like he was someone._ 'I want her to keep smiling at me like that...' _

"Okay, okay," she sighed, "I get your point, but if I get bit and die, I'm coming back to haunt you."

"I'll be waiting," Stephen teased light heartedly as he turned around. Though he could not see her, he knew she was blushing as the sounds of cloth rustling against skin reached his ears.

"Is there a reason you have to stand there..." She whispered as she stepped into the cold water. "Ah!" She hissed. "You'd think in hell the water would be a little hotter..." Stephen fought off a small chuckle at her exclaimation.

"Demon's tend to prefer women over men for their meals..." He left the reason hanging, but by the skip of her heart beat he knew she understood.

"Thank you..." Stephen's eyes widened at her quiet thanks. "For protecting me and not throwing me back out into the woods..."

"You're welcome..." Stephen whispered. His mind reeling about the woman bathing behind him. _'How can she be so trusting?'_ He wondered._ 'I bet she needed constant protection where she was...' _He could practically see all of the trouble she had given her friends and family behind his eyelids. Getting kidnapped by this Glory must have just been the icing on the cake. _'I guess that job's now up to me...' _His eyes widened slightly at his mental monolouge. In Quor'Toth, it was every man for himself. It would be dangerous for him to take on the protection of someone else when he, himself, had to struggle to survive. It seemed that the attempts to end his life doubled everyday. _'She would a liability...'_ He thought as he heard an embarrassed cough.

"Um..." She whispered. "We forgot about one thing..." The water splashed gently as she stepped up from it.

"What?" Stephen asked, not turning around.

"I have no clothes...even if I washed this," he knew that she was holding up the tattered dress, "I would still need something to wear until it dried..."

_'A very innocent liability...' _Stephen thought in amusement as he slipped his own shirt over his head and tossed it back to her.

"Wear this until it dries..." He commanded lightly. Cloth was once again slid across skin while Stephen turned to his thoughts. _'I could teach her how to fight...' _

"Okay," she called gently, "you can turn around now.."Stephen turned. His eyes widened at the sight that greeted him. Since he was a good feet taller than her, the shirt only came to her mid thigh. The front 'V' dipped to give him a teasing view of the tops of her breasts.

_ 'Dawn Summers, a complete stranger, should not look so good in my clothing,' _he decided.

"It will do," he hoped that she didn't notice the breathlessness as he spoke, "until your dress dries." He extended his arms. "Let's head back to camp.." Dawn nodded and clutched the soaked dress to her as he lifted her in his arms. Dawn looked away from his face and toward the tree covering. A fiery blush graced her cheeks as her hand gripped his naked shoulder.

As Stephen walked through the forest with the small girl in his arms, he fought to reign in his newly unleashed horomones. His betraying mind kept wandered to how good her thighs felt against his hands and how smooth they were.

"I'm going to have to teach you how to fight if you insist on staying with me..." He whispered to her as he walked back to camp. "We'll start early in the morning..." Stephen looked down at her expecting an answer.

"'kay..." She murmured, her breath washed across his chest. Stephen suppressed a shiver of delight at the feel. Her breathing was becoming slower. Her heart beat was evening out. She was falling asleep. _'In my arms...' _Stephen thought, once more wondering how she could be so trusting.

A small moan of protest escaped her lips as he set her down on the pallet he had made before she had stumbled upon his campsite. Her hands clutched at his shoulders before she yanked him down to her. His brown eyes were wide as her arms wrapped around his waist in a death grip.

"Warm..." she whispered. A warm blush rose to Stephen's cheeks as she arched closer to him. A content sigh escaped her lips while his cheeks got more red. A shiver rippled through her as the wind blew. Stephen bit into his lip and reached down to pull the cover over them.

The warmth radiating from her body was cantagious. Soon, he too was falling into a light sleep. He could still feel the rumbles underneath the earth as the demons moved about searching for prey. He could still hear every sound of the forest. Despite the comfort of sleep, he was alert.


	3. The Healing Touch

**Never Will You Be Alone**

_**The Healing Touch**_

Dawn awoke feeling very warm. The cold that surrounded her encasement made movement a hated task. So with a content sigh, she snuggled toward the warmth. Her hand touched the chest of the source and her arm was easily sliding around the side of it. Her eyes widened as she realized that the source of such warm was breathing. Its arms were wrapped around her lightly. Dawn glanced up toward the face of her furance. The young man that had cared for her yesterday was sleeping softly beside her.

_ 'He looks even better in sleep...'_ She thought before glancing back down. Through the first rays of sunlight she could see scars littering his chest. With a shaky hand, she traced the one closest to his heart. _'He was almost killed...'_ Her whole arm seemed to tingle as a shock went through her. _'And he just might be the death of me...' _She thought. Her green eyes focused once more on the scar. A fine blade had been its cause just like the ones across her stomach.

"What are you doing?" He asked, his voice thick with sleep. Dawn jumped.

"I'm sorry!" She squeaked as she struggled to break free of his arms. The reddening of her face gave way to her embarrassment.

"It's okay..." He reassured as he let her loose. A small flash of her panties made him look toward the smoking embers of last night's fire. His own face held a red tint.

"What were you doing..." Dawn started.

"You wouldn't let go of me when I set you down," he glanced back up at her. "For someone so small, you have a lot of strength to you..." She blushed at his praise.

"You know, you've slept beside me. You've seen more of my skin than anyone ever has. And yet, I don't know your name..." Dawn mumbled. He stood up and rolled up the pallet.

"My name's Stephen Holtz," he answered. Dawn sensed that he was leaving something out, but shrugged it off.

_ 'If he doesn't want to tell me, then I'm not going to push.' _Dawn looked down at his shirt and picked at the ends. Then her eyes wandered over to the dress in the corner. 'Well..'

"I'm just going to step over there and change..." Dawn whispered. A small shiver ripped down her spine as the morning chill brought an even colder wind. "I think you might want your shirt back."

Stephen shivered for a different reason. When she had been touching his chest, her touch had been a gentle carress as if a lover's touch.

_'She is unlike any I have ever met before...' _Stephen thought as he listened to his surrounds. _'And I want to keep her...'_ His eyes widened at the thought. His mouth fell open for a moment. _'I want to keep her? I don't even know her!' _

The brush rustled as she came back. His shirt was clutched in her hand while she lifted the end of her dress up with the other. Dawn looked upward as his eyes racked her form. A fiery blush spread across her face and down her chest. Her face burned worse as he stepped toward her. Her eyes widened as he drew his knife from his belt.

"What are you doing?" She exclaimed. He wrapped his arm around her forearm and looked up at her.

"Trust me, okay?" Stephen requested. "I won't hurt you..." Dawn flushed at his words. The touch on her arm was gentle. His brown eyes held a gentle hue. Dawn bit her lip and nodded.

"Okay.." She whispered and watched as he knelt down in front of her. He grabbed the end of her dress and slid the knife underneath the fabric. Dawn fought to keep her breathing even. Knives were not her friend at the moment. It also didn't help that his hand seemed to trace the path his knife made on her leg as Stephen made a quick slit up to her hip. He fought off a blush as black and red lace boy shorts greeted him. He stood back up.

"We're going to have to find you some shorts somewhere..." Stephen said as he tucked his knife back into his hostler beside his gun. Dawn nodded, unable to find the ability to talk. Stephen glanced up at her. "You ready?"

"Be gentle?" She asked sweetly. Stephen chuckled, but nodded.

"I will be," he vowed with a small smirk on his face. His eyes widened as her foot nearly connected with jaw. He caught her leg in his hands giving a glimpse of her small shorts underneath. He suppressed a blush and flung her foot away._ 'Defiantely going to get her some suitable shorts...' _She let it smack the ground before striking out with her fist. He shoved it away easily. Dawn came back with her elbow. Stephen grabbed it gently and locked his leg around hers. His other hand grabbed her free arm and he took her to the ground.

"Umphf!" Dawn exclaimed as he fell onto her. Stephen's hand was at her throat. His touch and body wieght were gentle and light. Stephen smirked down at her.

"You're good, but not good enough..." he teased. Dawn wondered if he knew that his thumb was rubbing gently on the skin of her throat. With a small jerk, he had her back on her feet. "Again," he demanded.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

"Well, let's just go on the assumption that she's not dead..." Buffy spoke gently underneath Spike's worried gaze. "And search for her. Willow," the crying red head glanced up at her long time friend, "think Tara and you could do a scrying spell when we get home?" The redheaded witch looked at her partner. They both nodded lightly.

"I'll help," Anya vowed. Buffy and Xander smiled at her. Anya shifted in her fiancee's arms and winced lightly. Xander's arms tightened around her as he cast his worried gaze down to her. Anya smiled reassuringly up at him. "We'll find her..."

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Dawn huffed as she found herself on the ground again. Stephen laughed lightly against her shoulder. His hand was once again at her throat. Her arms were pinned above her head by his much larger one. His legs, once again, had hers trapped. As he laughed, Dawn discovered that the motion of his body sent delicious shivers down her spine.

"This is so unfair!" Dawn protested. "You're like ubber strong!" Stephen laughed again and propped himself up on his elbows, still hovering over her. Dawn's breath caught at the sight of his dancing brown eyes._ 'This guarded boy...his walls have fallen...' _Dawn thought as she stared up at his easy smile.

"Yeah," he answered, the tone of his voice matched the gentleness of his eyes, "but that's the way it is. You're not the Slayer. You're not a vampire or even a demon. You're just Dawn."

"And the Key..." Dawn grumbled. Stephen smiled.

"That too," he whispered. "But the point is, you're always going to be a disadvantage against the supernatural. Now," his tone morphed into a playful one, "if we could tap into that super cosmic energy you've got going on, you might kick some serious ass." Dawn laughed lightly. Stephen smiled and stood up from her body. He extended his hand to her again. She smiled up at him as she took it. "Again." Dawn suppressed a groan.

"I'm an so going to be sore!" Dawn exclaimed. Stephen laughed as she darted toward him. She dodged his strikes with a dancer's ease and dropped down at the last second. His eyes widened as his feet were knocked out from underneath him. "Hah!" Dawn punched the air. "Wow!" She jumped up to avoid Stephen's foot. He jumped to his feet and struck out with his fist. She dodged it again and twirled out of the way of his kick. Stephen couldn't stop the smile as he watched her. But, like the two times before, he got the better of her. But this time, he had her pinned against the bark of an oak tree. She pouted up at him.

"You're gettin' better," Stephen encouraged, "or..are you just getting angry?" Dawn glared up at him and analyzed the position they were in. His hips were wedged between her legs. She smirked up at him. Stephen blinked before Dawn's legs clamped around his waist. She ignored the tingle that shot through her lower body as their hips pressed against one another and swiveled her body. In shock, he dropped her wrists. Dawn grabbed a hold of a low hanging branch and planted her feet in between his biceps. Stephen's breath left him roughly as he smacked the ground. A steady burning feeling was left in the imprint of her feet. He gasped as she fell onto him. Her thighs were straddling his hips and her hands were locked around his wrists at his side.

"Oh my goddess..." She whispered as she looked at his shirt. He looked down with her. Small red blisters in the shape of her heel were on his chest. Her eyes widened. "I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed. Stephen watched as she placed her hands over the blisters gently. He flinched then moaned lightly as something gentle like clean water ran over his blisters. The pain in his chest was slowly being removed.

Dawn blushed and looked away from him at the small groan that escaped Stephen's lips as she touched him. Something like water on her hands made her look down. Her green eyes widened. Her hands were glowing a gentle blue. The same gentle blue seemed to stretching across his wound.

"Stephen.." He opened his eyes at his name to see Dawn staring down at him. "Are you..alright?" He noticed that she seemed to be alternating between him and her hands. Stephen propped up on his elbows. The action brought their bodies closer.

"I feel fine..why?" Stephen asked. Her lips parted then closed. He tilted his head in confusion.

"Look down at your chest..." She whispered. He glanced down. His brown eyes widened. Where the blisters had been skin lay in their place. Stephen glanced back up at her.

"You healed me!" He exclaimed. Dawn bit into her lip and nodded.

"I didn't...even know...I just didn't want you to hurt anymore.." Stephen's eyes widened at her quiet admission.

"Even though you don't know me?" Stephen returned quietly. The urge to touch her to make sure she was real was becoming more and more hard to resist.

"You're not bad..." Dawn whispered. "I can tell. You're not evil.." He raised his eyebrows at her admission. Dawn looked up at him. At his disbelieving look, her eyes hardened. "You're not." She stated more firmly. Her hand fell to his chest gently. "Just..." Stephen bit into his lip as her fingertips seemed to unknowingly carress his bare skin. "More dangerous than most.." Stephen placed his hand over hers. Her cheeks reddened as she realized what she had been doing. He smiled gently up at her in return. She returned it shakingly.

Dawn squealed as she was flipped onto the forest floor. A small laugh escaped him at her shocked expression. He jumped back to his feet and held his hand out. Once more, she took it and let him pull her to her feet. He dropped her hand. Stephen attempted to ignore the absence he felt as he turned toward the pallet. He lifted it underneath his arm. He turned to see her staring at him curiously.

"We're going to head into town to find you some suitable shorts," he stated, as he pulled her along behind him.

"There's a town in hell?" Dawn asked, incredulously. Stephen chuckled lightly as he pulled her into the forest.

"It's not really a town, just a market place." Stephen explained as he helped her over a log. His hand brushed her lower back as he let her go. Her heart rate picked up slightly before slowly toning down.

"But I don't have any money..." She said in a small voice. "We aren't going to steal it, are we? Because I got in enough trouble for that the last time I didn't have any money to buy what I wanted. My sister nearly-" Stephen placed his finger over her moving lips. Tingles shot through his arm and her lips at the touch. He slowly lowered his hand.

"We aren't if it makes you uncomfortable. They usually ask that you perform in place of money." Panic widened her eyes.

"Perform?" She squeaked. Stephen arched an eyebrow and glanced over at her.

"Why does that sound worse than the idea of stealing?" He asked. He lifted the pack higher up underneath his arm.

"I'm not good with crowds..." She admitted in a small voice.

"You'll do fine." Stephen reassured.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Willow cried out in frustration and threw her hands into the air breaking the connection Tara and she had created. Tara smiled sadly at her girlfriend. They had been scrying for an hour and had not gotten a clear hit on Dawn.

"Any news?" Xander asked as he handed both of the women a plate of pizza. Willow sighed and rubbed her temple. Tara smiled at the kind hearted burnette and took her plate from him.

"All we know is that she is alive...but it's like she's not on earth.." Willow mumbled. Anya's eyes widened slightly. Tara glanced at her and rose her eyebrows.

"She's in another dimension!" Anya exclaimed. Silence fell over them.

"So, that means..." Xander whispered.

"We can't bring her back..." Everyone in the living room spun around to see Buffy leaning agaisnt the arch of the doorway. Slowly, she sank to the floor.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

"Do they have an inn in hell, Stephen?" Dawn asked as they stepped foot onto the dirt of the marketplace. Their hands were still joined.

"Yeah. Why?" Stephen asked.

"Because sleeping on the ground sucks..." Dawn grumbled. Stephen snorted.

"Spoiled..." He drawled.

"Yup," Dawn popped the 'p'. Stephen suppressed the smile that threatened to split his face. The demons in the marketplace were afraid of him. If he gave them any reason to doubt his coldness toward their death and life in general, they would not hesitate to attack him.

"Mr. Holtz!" One of the demons greeted. Dawn's eyes widened at the greeting. "What can I do for you today?"

"My friend needs a pair of shorts," Stephen explained coldly. "And we need a place to stay for the night." The demon nodded eagerly.

"And does the lady know how to perform?" The demon asked shrewdly. His eyes racked her form. Dawn blushed in outrage. Her hand twitched violently. The urge to hit him was mounting in her blood.

"Damon..." Stephen's voice alone held the threat. The demon tore his eyes away from Dawn.

"I'm sorry, sir, I did not know she was yours..." The demon stuttered. "You have not marked her.." Stephen leaned against the counter. His eyes were cold and unforgiving as he stared the demon down.

"You will do well to remember it..." Dawn watched the demon swallow nervously and nod.

"Alright, my dear. Show me what you've got..." Damon's eyes widened before glancing over at Stephen. "I mean..." Dawn fought off a giggle and took a deep breath. Stephen tilted his head in interest.

"I wanted to be like you. I wanted everything. So I tried to be like you and I got swept away. I didn't know that it was so cold. And you needed someone to show you the way. So I took your hand and we figured out that when the time comes I'd take you away..." Stephen's eyes widened in shock as did the demon's own red eyes behind the counter.

"The voice of an angel..." Damon whispered in shock. Demons all around the marketplace seemed to stop to listen.

"If you want to I can save you! I can take you away from here. So lonely inside. So busy out there. And all you wanted was somebody who cares." Stephen fought off the emotions that threatened to consume him. It sounded as if she were singing directly to him. Dawn slowly started to dance with to an imaginary tune. Stephen found himself more captivated than before. "I'm sinking slowly so hurry hold me! Your hand is all I have to keep me hanging on. Please can you tell me so I can finally see where you go when you're gone...If you want to I can save you. I can take you away from here. So lonely inside. So busy out there. And all you wanted was somebody who cares!"

"Where did you find her?" Damon breathed.

"She found me," Stephen admitted to the breathless demon. His eyebrow quirked at the look of worship on all of the demon's faces surrounding her. It seemed he was not the only one captivated by her voice.

"All you wanted was somebody who cares. If you need me, you know I'll be there. Oh, yeah. If you want to I can save you. I can take you away from here. So loney inside. So busy out there. And all you wanted was someone who cares. Please can you tell me so I can finally see where you go when you're gone..." Dawn opened her eyes and nearly jumped. Demons surrounded her. "Um...Stephen.." She called gently. "A little..help.."

At his name, Stephen stepped through the parting crowd. He took her arm gently and helped her through the crowd. They came back to stand in front of Damon's stand. The blue demon was smiling brightly at her.

"You, my dear, have the voice of an angel!" He exclaimed. Dawn blushed and looked over at Stephen. He nodded. "You're beautiful singing has rewarded you enough points to stay in an inn, get a weapon, and these shorts!" Dawn beamed happily and suppressed the urge to hug Stephen. "So take your pick!" Dawn lifted a pair of black shorts into her hands and looked toward the weapon area of the market. She bit into her lip and looked toward Stephen for help. He pointed to one without a word. The red demon behind the counter handed her the a dainty, but long blade. Dawn smiled at him as she removed it from his hands.

Stephen's eyes scanned the marketplace for danger. His eyes narrowed as he spotted three male demons gathering around a dark stand. Their beady eyes kept glancing toward Dawn. Stephen placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned to face him with a blinding smile.

"Let's head to the inn now..." He demanded lightly. Dawn nodded and tucked her new blade into it's hostler across her hip. Dawn's heart beat sped up as his hand slid down her shoulder to her hand where he entwined their fingers. She smiled shyly and allowed him to tug her gently in the direction of the inn.

"Welcome, my dears..." The elderly inn keeper greeted as they stepped into the inn. "I could hear your voice from here, my dear. It truly is lovely..." She complimented Dawn. "I would like you preform here when you get the chance..."

"Certainly.." Dawn answered happily. The inn keeper smiled and handed Stephen their key.

"Here you are, my dear, room 132."

"Thank you," Stephen said. The inn keeper smiled and shooed them on. Dawn gigled lightly as they walked up the stairs.

"Hey, Stephen.." Dawn asked once they were fully in the room and the door was closed. "What did he mean by 'you haven't marked her'?" Dawn watched as the muscles in Stephen's back drew taunt. Dawn reached forward and touched his shoulder gently. "Stephen?"

"Humans, demons, and everything in between have a way of marking their intended ones. Humans use a type of magic that blends their scent with that of their one. Demons mark them with a bite."

"Which category would you fall under?" Dawn asked. Stephen's eyes widened slightly. His head snapped over to her. She smiled slightly.

"The other..." He admitted quietly. "It's why I'm so 'ubber strong' and why every demon we have met here is afraid of me."

"So you're not human," Dawn's observation was blunt. Stephen nodded.

"My real father and mother were vampires on earth. My human side is more dominant than the vampire. But I still have the perks of being one. Excessive strength, speed, hearing, smell..." His tone was bitter and pained. Dawn could feel her eyes filling with tears. "I'm what many would call a miracle child. But it feels more like a curse.." Stephen gasped as her arms wrapped around him from behind. Her hands linked together in front of his chest and her head fell to his shoulder.

"You're amazing, Stephen." His eyes widened even further at her quiet admission. "I'm happy I met you, because...now I don't feel so alone." He knew that her cheeks were a rosy red as she spoke. He could feel the heat of her blood on his neck. "I'm glad you were born. And as awful as it sounds, I'm happy you were here. Because I don't know if I would have been able to survive without you. I probably would have fallen into some whole and woke up all those tunneling demons and been a midnight snack...and I would have never met you." Stephen tackled her back onto the bed. His arms wrapped around her waist and he buried his head into her chest. Her cheeks flamed at the intimate gesture that was until she realized he was crying. Her own tears fell. Dawn wrapped her arms around his strong, shaking shoulders.

Dawn's arms had long since gone numb when Stephen started to talk.

"No one has ever told me those words before..." He whispered. Dawn hands never stilled their circles on his back.

"You deserve to hear them.." Dawn whispered lightly. Stephen rolled off of her body. The action dislodged her arms from around him. Stephen felt the absence immediately. He did not ask for her to hold him again, although he longed for it. Dawn stared at his forlon face as stared up at the ceiling. His eyes were still swollen and puffy. Dawn smiled gently before rolling over and wrapping her arm around his toned waist. Stephen glanced down at her quickly. Dawn smiled shyly up at him. Her eyes conveyed the message she was to shy to say: _"I'm here. Whenever you need it or want it, I'll hold you."_ Stephen smiled down at her and wrapped his own arm around her back.

"Goodnight, Stephen..." Dawn whispered.

"Goodnight, Dawn..." Stephen laid up lost in his thoughts, wondering if he should tell her of his true name. His brown eyes traveled to her sleeping form. _'Would she still accept me if she knew...'_He wondered as he listened to her heart beat and the rhythm of her breathing.  
The stories of Angelus stretched far and wide, even through dimensions in which he had never visited. It was part of the reason why fear was so easily for Stephen to instill into others. The other part was simply himself. _'An angel such as she should not be tainted by a child of sin like me...'_ He thought before letting his eyes drift closed. Slowly, the teen found himself being lulled to sleep.


	4. Maybe Someday

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Four-Maybe Someday**

Dawn cracked one relunctant eye open as the first rays of sunlight peeked through their motel window. A small giggle escaped her lips as she found herself staring directly at Stephen's closed eyes. She took this rare moment to study him, to memorize his features._ 'Just so that I can pick them out anywhere..' _Dawn thought._ 'And no one would be able to fool me trying to be him...' _Her green, sleep filled orbs took in his nose and wandered down to his lips where they stayed. As if her hand had a will of it's own, it raised to trace his lips. A small gasp parted her lips as she felt the familiar tingle that came with touching him. Dawn jumped as his brown eyes opened.

"What are you doing?" He asked. Dawn's face turned red. She struggled against the arm that was locked around her waist. His arm tightened around her waist and she found herself yanked back down next to him.

"Just...uh...trying to get up." The leg that had been wrapped around his own two was still bend in a 'L'. She had propped herself up with a hand on his strong chest. Stephen quirked an eyebrow. "And you won't let me go..."

"Mmm..." he moved his body in a kind of lazy stretch. "Still kinda don't want too..." He admitted. Dawn's eyes widened and a flush came to her face. A small smile touched her lips.

"Okay..." She whispered, before snuggling back down into his arms. A comfortable silence fell over the teens as they lay there._ 'This is not something "just friends" would do...' _Dawn realized quietly._ 'This is more of a couple thing...' _

"Did you mean what you said last night?" Stephen asked in a low tone. Dawn smiled and nodded.

"Every word," she promised. Stephen smiled and brought his other arm to join the one around her waist. He hugged her tightly. "This is a very pleasant change from the Stephen you were when I first met you..." Dawn smiled as she hugged him back. "You know with all knocking my feet out from underneath me and pinning me to the ground."

"I could still do that you know," Stephen teased as he propped up on his elbows. She giggled up at him and pushed against his chest. He laughed lightly and rolled off of her. Dawn smiled at his back as he stood up.

_'I could get used to seeing this side of him...' _Dawn thought as she too got to her feet. "You know I try to be all that I can." Dawn sang gently. Stephen turned around and fought off a grin.

_'She's singing while she makes up the bed...the inn keeper is going to love her..'_ He thought with amusement before paying attention her.

"But there's a part of me I still don't understand. Why do I see what I don't have. When my reality knows things are not that bad. Your faith has shown me that.." She seemed to realize that she was singing aloud and glanced up at him to see his gentle smile. A small blush rose to her face and she folded the cover over in a small straight line underneath the pillows.

"You know, if you perform again, we may just be able to stay another night here.." Stephen commented.

"Really?" Stephen chuckled at her excited tone. "I mean..." She mumbled, "you would be willing to do that?"

"I don't see why not. I still have to teach you how to fight with a sword now that you have one."

"I could probably win you some new weapons too," Dawn eyed his sword in his belt. "I saw something the other day when we were at the weapon's shop that I thought you'd like." Stephen tilted his head at the small, embarrassed tone at which she spoke. Dawn lifted up the shorts she had bought yesterday and slipped them underneath her dress. There was a small curl to her nose as she looked at the dress. "Probably could get me some new clothes too."

"Probably," Stephen answered as he held the door open for her. "Breakfast should be ready by now."

"The food won't kill me, will it?" Dawn asked. He fought off laughter and shook his head. A small sadness washed through Dawn as she realized what he was doing. He was reverting back to the Stephen from the marketplace. "How many other people will be eating with us, you figure?"

"A vampire couple and another demon couple." Dawn tilted her head as they started down the stairs.

"How do you know that?" She asked as she tromped down the stairs.

"They weren't exactly quiet..." Dawn blushed brightly as she caught his meaning.

"Oh! Ah...okay." A small chuckle came from him as he walked behind her. Dawn allowed herself a tiny smile at the sound.

"Good morning, dears!" The inn keeper greeted happily as she took the last of the dishes out of the stove. Dawn smiled geninuely in greeting. Her eyes widened slightly as she looked toward the table. Two vampires sat at the table along with two very angry looking demons.

"Ah..." Dawn whispered. "Stephen? You sure it's safe to sit at the table? They look ready to rip one another's throats out..."

"There's been a long line of bad blood between vampires and that type of demon," Stephen explained as he steered her toward the table. Dawn glanced back at to see him looking at her. His eyes told her what his mouth didn't: _"I'll keep you safe."_ Dawn rewarded him a small smile as he pulled the chair out for her before taking his own seat.

"There you are, dears!" The inn keeper exclaimed as she placed the food on the table. Dawn's eyebrows furrowed as the inn keeper moved to walk away.

"Are you not going to eat with us, ma'am?" Dawn asked, unaware of her companions' shocked faces. The inn keeper smiled gently at her. Her unnatural blue eyes held a small light to them as she looked at Dawn.

"Thank you, my dear, but I do not eat human food." She patted Dawn's shoulder gently as she passed her to the exit of the inn.

"You're not from here, are you?" The male vampire asked. Dawn blushed and shook her head.

"Awe..look, Adam, she blushes..." The female vampire cooed as she hung from her boyfriend's shoulder. Adam smiled over at the vampire gently. Dawn suppressed a smile as she lifted her fork to her food. Stephen had long since began eating.

"So where are you from?" The large male demon asked, causing Dawn to jump. Dawn glanced toward Stephen. His dark red eyes seemed to stare straight into her. Dawn felt a small tug at her soul before the Key inside of her struck out and forced the demon out. Dawn's green eyes narrowed.

"I would appreicate it if you didn't try to pry around where you aren't wanted." Dawn's voice was kind, but her eyes were hard. The male demon glared back at her as he attempted not to let his pain at being forced out show. He felt as if his mind's eye had been burned by flame.

"Not many humans can tell when _they," _Adam spit out the 'they' as if it were one of the foulest curses on this dimension, "are prying around their souls."

"Watch it, vampire," the male demon growled. Dawn cast a slightly nervous glance over at Stephen. He easily grabbed her hand underneath the table and squeezed.

"Don't worry, doll," the dark haired female vampire spoke to Dawn, "these demons are more bark than they are bite." At her words, the demons stood and lifted the vampires off their feet. Their fists poised to strike.

"If you're going to fight, please, take it outside. I don't believe the inn lady would like for her inn to be destoryed over some ancient squabble." Stephen spoke. The demons glanced over at him and then threw the vampires from the inn. Dawn allowed a giggle to break through her lips. Stephen glanced over at her as the demons stalked out after the vampire.

"Thank you, dear boy," the inn keeper spoke from behind him.

"Excuse me," Dawn started as she turned to walk away, "if you don't mind I would like to take you up on the offer to perform for another night in your inn and some weapons." The inn lady smiled brilliantly at her.

"I'll go get the demon that runs the weaponry as proof of your payment. Give me a second, dear." Dawn turned to Stephen as she bustled out of the inn.

"What was..."

"Your performance here with increase her business," Stephen explained gently. "Are you going to finish the song from earlier?"

"Now why would I do that, you've already heard the start..." Dawn bounced her pointer finger off of the tip of his nose. He caught her wrist and kissed the inside of it as the inn keeper and weaponry master came bustling inside. Dawn shook away her blush before turning around.

"Go on, dear," the inn keeper said kindly.

"My name's Dawn, ma'am..." She said. "I would like for you to use it, if it's not imposing on anything." The inn keeper's smile widened as the weaponry master's eyes widened in shock. Dawn looked at him queerly._ 'You'd think humans did show kindness to them..' _She thought as she moved toward the stage. Stephen took a seat next to the weapons master.

"Quite a woman you found yourself, Stephen," the weapons master greeted upon sitting down.

"I'm aware," Stephen answered as he looked up at Dawn. She smiled slightly at him before taking a deep breathe.

"I wanna be the face you see when you close your eyes. I wanna be the touch you need every single night." Stephen almost laughed when the weapons master nudged him and winked. Dawn blushed as she caught sight of it. "I wanna be your fanasty and be your reality and everything between. I want you to need me like the air you breathe. I want you to feel me in everything. I want you to see me in your every dream. The way that I taste you, feel you, breathe you, need you. I want you to need me like I need you. I wanna be the eyes that look deep into your soul. I wanna be the world for you. I just want it all." Many more speices began pouring into the inn at her voice. Stephen fought off a smile as her face alit with joy. "I wanna your deepest kiss, the answer to your every wish, and all you ever need. I want you to need me like the air you breathe. I want you to feel me in everything. I want you to see me in your every dream. The way that I taste you, feel you, breathe you, need you. Cause I need you more than you know and I need you to never, never let me go." Slight jealousy rushed through Stephen as he listened to her song. He propped his head up on his elbow as stared at her.

"Whoever this song is about is one lucky dog..." Adam spoke from beside him. Stephen almost jumped, but caught himself. Adam smiled cheekily at him through his blacked eye and busted lips. Stephen wondered for a moment how well the demons faired. His eyes traveled over to Adam's mate. She was clean of any injuries. It seemed to him that he had taken to burden of their hits for her. As if catching his gaze, Adam smiled. "Vampires love just as strongly as any human, mate." Stephen tlited his head in confusion. Adam smiled at seeing it. The older male shook his head.

"Love?" Stephen questioned. Adam smiled at the hope that the young boy let flash through his eyes as he looked over at the singing female. He shook his head.

"Not yet, mate, but you keep going like the two of you are..." He trailed off as he turned his eyes to her. "It could happen."

"I wanna be your fanasty and be your reality and everything between. I want you to need me like the air you breathe. I want you to feel me in everything. I want you to see me in your every dream. 'Cause, baby," her voice became more powerful as did the cheers. "I taste you, feel you, breathe you, need you! I want you to need me like I need you. I want you to need me, like I need you, like I need you, like I need you... " **(I Want You to Need Me, Celine Dion.)**

Stephen pondered what Adam had said as she smiled at the crowd gently.

"Another will earn you a dress from my shop!" One female demon hollered out over the crowd. Dawn smiled happily.

"Then another it is!" She declared, the crowd cheered in answer. Dawn searched for Stephen in the large crowd. She smiled as she caught his eyes staring at her. Surprise coated her face as he smiled back. Her smile widened.

As she stood above the crowd, Dawn thought of a song that would fit them. A song that would fit the non-romantic night they shared. Finally, she found it.

"A man has his dreams. He hopes; he prays. He laughs; he cries. A man tries his best. Sometimes, he falls. A man does what he has to do and a woman does too." The women of the crowded clapped at that. Dawn smiled and sought Stephen's eyes again. "A man wants to love with all his heart. He's not afraid. A man needs someone to share his life. He wants someone to hold at night like, baby, I do. Yeah, a woman does too." Whistles broke from the crowd. Dawn laughed and shook her head. Stephen found himself captivated as he looked at her. His thoughts were running frantically through his head. All of them involved her and what they could be if only she would allow it. If only, he deserved her. "So, baby, lay down here beside me. Sometimes a man just needs two arms to fall into and if you wanna know the truth, a woman does too." Stephen's eyes widened slightly as he recalled last night when he had all but fell into hers. "A man has to be strong, standing tall to make his way. A man takes on the world, holds his ground. He has so much he has to prove and a woman does too. So, baby, lay down here beside me. Sometimes, a man just needs two arms to fall into and if you wanna know the truth...a woman does too...A woman does too. This woman does too.." **(A Woman Does Too by Danielle Peck)**

Stephen watched as the demons that offered Dawn items in turn for a song crowded around her. He swallowed as the rational fear that they would grab her and run filled him. He pushed his way through the crowd. Her hand reached out as he neared her. Without a second thought, he placed his hand in hers. She pulled him to her side while the demons surrounding her watched on. Only the inn keeper had a smile on her face. The others seemed to suddenly pale. Dawn smiled reassuringly at them.

"What type of clothing do you offer, ma'am?" Dawn asked the pale female demon. She tore her gaze away from Stephen's hard, cold ones.

"Every kind, miss. Men's pants, men's shirts, men's shorts," the female demon eyed the shorts that peaked through the slit at her thigh, "dresses. My shop's right next to the weaponry shop.." Dawn smiled.

"I'll stop by there after I go to the weaponry," Dawn promised.

"I'll be finding the color that fits you then," the demoness said with a bright smile.

"Thank you," the demoness' eyes widened as the thanks before a blinding smile broke out on her green face.

"You're welcome, dear.." Dawn looked at the demoness curiously as she turned to leave.

"Well then, follow me," the weaponry master said with a wide smile. Dawn fought off her fear reaction as she was greeted by very pointed teeth. She gripped Stephen's hand a little harder and followed the demon out of the inn.

Stephen glanced over at the increased grip to see her staring at the back of the weaponry master's head. A small smile threatened to curve his lips. He had reacted the same way when he had first met the weaponry master at eight years old._ 'Just a few months before my father threw me on this island and told me I would have to fend for myself for a while.'_ Stephen thought with a slight bitterness.

"Here we are," the demon spoke cheerfully. Dawn smiled gently and pointed to two leather sword hoslters that looked as though they were made to wear on the wrists. Stephen couldn't help but admire the work of them. "Ah, very nice choice..." He praised as he picked them from the wall. "But a little large to fit on the wrists of a woman."

"It's not for me," Dawn answered with a small smile as she took the item from him.

"Ah," the weaponry master grinned. "Well, inside of those cases are two very sharp blades, whomever you give them too should be careful. They sit on the top of the forearm with the blade facing the back of the hand." Dawn tilted her head.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because they are built into the hoslters, they have no hilt." The weaponry master explained.

"Oh, okay. Thank you, sir!" Dawn said with a smile. The rough demon's face softened at the thanks.

"You're welcome." Dawn was once again thoroughly confused by the demons' behavior. Still, Dawn cast one more smile at him before stepping toward the dress shop with Stephen in tow. He was vaguely aware of his friend's light laugh of shock as he was pulled away.


	5. Her Champion

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Five-Her Champion**

Dawn clutched her folded dress and the two swords in one arm while she held onto Stephen's hand with the other as they walked back to inn. Dawn nibbled on her bottom lip as she thought of the demons' reactions to her small polite gestures.

Stephen glanced over at her out of the corner of his eye. She had been silent since they left the dress shop and the teary eyed demoness. He glanced down at their clasped hands and wondered just when the reason had become more than just keeping her beside him and not losing her in the crowd. The more he thought of about it, the more he began to realize that his mindset seemed to have shifted the night she had told him those cerished words.

"Stephen?" Dawn called his voice gently. He glanced upward. "We're at our door." She giggled gently at his confused face. "You have the key, remember?" Stephen blushed lightly.

"Oh, yeah," an awkward chuckle broke from his lips, "sorry." Dawn smiled gently as he dug the key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. Dawn stepped around him and placed the items they had earned onto the bed. He watched in slight amusement as she lifted one of the blades and tilted it at all angles.

"I wonder how it comes out..." She mumbled. Then, she shrugged and looked up at him. "You'll figure it out." She grinned. "Come hether!" She giggled. Stephen smiled softly and approached her. He watched as her nimble fingers rolled up his sleeves. "When I first saw them, I thought you would like them," she spoke as she lifted one of them and unbuttoned the strap. Her fingertips brushed his forearm as she fastened the clasp. The small tingle distracted him so much that he almost missed her next sentence. "I was happy to see that I wasn't wrong." She did the same on his other arm and let her hands fall into her lap. She looked up at him.

"How'd you know I liked them?" He asked as he looked at the blades on his forearms.

"It was in your eyes," he glanced up at her at the quiet admission. "No matter how stony you look on the outside, your eyes...your eyes speak to me when you don't." Dawn admitted quietly. Stephen smiled and tilted her head upward with his hand.

"And what are they saying now?" He asked softly. Dawn's eyes widened as she caught the message she had thought to never see: _"Stay with me.."_

"Stay..." Dawn whispered. "Do you think I'm going to leave you?" Dawn asked. All thoughts of the demons' shock at her kindness flew from her mind as she stared at him.

"Not now," Stephen murmured. "Not right now. But eventually, you will." The fear in his eyes nearly had tears falling from hers. The urge to comfort him pulsed through her.

"And I'll always come back," Dawn promised as she touched his cheek with her fingertips. "No matter where I go." Neither knew why these words, these promises were rising from their lips, but they could feel the truth behind every oath. Niether understood why they felt the need to be around the other, like their worlds depended on it now. Both were unaware to the current of magic that rippled through the air around them. It swireled around them like a gentle wind and weaved inbetween them.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Behind the curtain, the Oracles smiled. Everything was falling into place. Now, all they had to do was wait for the two teens to realize what their feelings, their instant attachment meant.

The youngest Oracle smiled teasingly at her mother as she recongized a light pink aura surrounding the two teens as her mother's and father's magic died down.

"I do beileve we have caught more than we bargained for."

"It will work to their advantage." Her father drawled uncaringly. She smiled as she realized that her father would allow it. A sadness still followed the youngest Oracle for the hand the Slayer and the vampire condemned with a soul were dealt.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Willow and Tara gasped in borderline escasty as a surge of powerful magic rippled through them. A small moan tore from Tara's lips. Buffy tilted her head in confusion while Xander and Spike rose their eyebrows.

"Alright there, ladies?" Xander asked. Tara opened her eyes first. Her wide light brown eyes landed on Willow's green. The slight whisper of the Oracle's reached them.

"The Key had chosen her champion." Willow said, breathlessly.


	6. Amazed

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Six-Amazed**

Dawn's eyes widened as warmth ran through her veins like a gentle water. A small 'C.A.' slowly sank onto her wrist in black ink. Her eyes widened. She glanced up at Stephen to see him glancing down at his own arm.

Stephen blinked as he stared down at his wrist. A small 'D.S.' was imprinted on his arm. He could feel Dawn's long hair brush his arm as she leaned over to see. Her mouth fell open. Wordlessly, she extended her arm to him. He furrowed his brows as he saw the small 'C.A.' on her own arm. Instantly, Stephen knew. It was a representation of their names.

_ "Your real name is Connor Angel. You are the son of a monster."_ Holtz cruel words came back to him. _"He will not want you. No one other than me will take you in. Your name is curse."_ He had spoken those words after Stephen had asked to return to his real father, to get to know him. It was the first seed of hatred for Connor and his father. At that moment, he stopped being Connor Angel and became Stephen Holtz.

Dawn stared up at Stephen's pale face with a concerned expression. His eyes were locked on her wrist. The intials bothered him. She covered her wrist with her hand. He tore his gaze away from her wrist and looked away from her. Dawn bit into her lip. Her eyes filled with tears.

"Stephen?" Her tone hurt him. _'So pleading..'_ He thought. He felt as if his heart was ripping at the seams. "Stephen, please look at me.." He turned his head relunctantly. Dawn fought off a gasp at the look in his eyes. Without second thought, Dawn threw herself into his arms.

Stephen was thankful for the distraction her warmth against his chest provided. He didn't want her to be looking at him when he departed what he had kept from her.

"Dawn...I haven't been fully honest about my name.." Her heart beat was even. She knew that already. "My real name is Connor Angel." Her heart beat hammered now. Disgust filled him, even she knew of his father. As if sensing that he wanted to leave, her grip on him tightened.

"Angel..as in Angel, Angel. Formally, Angelus-that Angel?"

"Yes," Dawn nearly cried at the tone of his voice. She pulled her head off of his chest. Her hands ran up his forearms and rested on his upper arm then back down in what she hoped was a comforting motion. Stephen tried to fight down the longing and want her touch invoked, but was quickly failing.

_ 'She'll only push me away. She won't want me, not after what I just admitted...'_ Stephen thought as his heart sank rapidly. _'This is just a goodbye touch..'_ Although he thought that, he could still feel the small electric shocks shooting through him at her gentle touch.

"That doesn't matter..not to me." Stephen's head snapped up. She smiled gently at him. "What he has done, the sins he has committed and is paying for, has nothing to do with you. You are his son, but that doesn't mean you have to be like Angelus."

Stephen didn't miss the familiarity with which she spoke of Angel. He tilted his head. Dawn smiled gently.

"You know him." His tone was accusing. Dawn sighed and sank down onto the bed. Her hands fell to his.

"Angel has a few demons of his own, all go by the name of Angelus." She eased him down beside her on the bed. "But he is trying to make up for his crimes. He left my sister, who he is in love with, to save this world from the demon named Angelus." Stephen was hanging onto her every word. "He can not reach complete happiness or Angelus will come out to play.." A small shudder rippled through her as she recalled that terrifying side of her sister's love. As she spoke, he could feel himself drifting back to Connor Angel. The boy that had been so set on hearing of his father, meeting him and judging him for himself. Stephen argued with the ideals he had been taught by the man that had raised him. "While he is a good man, I'll let you judge for yourself." Stephen rewarded her with a nod. "So what would you like me to call you?"

"Stephen out in public, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt for me to get used to Connor...so you can call me that in private.." Connor whispered. Dawn nodded. Her hand was absentmindly tracing his veins and the scars on his hand. He looked over at her.

"No matter what name you perfer, you're amazing," she promised. Connor smiled. She smiled back. "Ready to go to bed?" She asked. He laughed and nodded. As he cleared the bed of the new items, Dawn pulled the covers back.

"Goodnight," Dawn whispered as he climbed into bed beside her. Connor stuck his arm out and drew her closer to him. She blushed brightly and mumbled something against his chest that he didn't catch.

"Goodnight..." For a moment, both forgot about the intials on their arms and basked in one another's comfort. Slowly, they slipped into a content sleep.


	7. Working Toward Something

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Seven-Working Toward Something**

Connor lay awake as the first rays of sunlight peaked through the window. His thoughts were running rapid. All of those thoughts were revolving around the dream he'd had about the woman laying next to him.

He had seen the train. He had seen her laying on the tracks. He had seen her sister, he assumed, racing against the train to save her. He had seen her bleeding wrists as she questioned if her blood was real, if she was real. He had seen the knife bit down her side from her ribs to her hip. He had heard her muffled cry at the pain. He had seen the sadness in her eyes as she tipped over the edge of the platform.

Those images had made his arm tighten around her waist and cling to her as if she were his only lifeline. The feelings of dread, pain, and fear had left him reeling.

_ 'What do I feel for you?'_ He asked himself as he stared down at her sleeping face._ 'I've never felt positive emotions like happiness, like, or even love of any kind.'_ His heart picked up as she snuggled deeper into his body. Their bodies fit perfectly, almost as if they were made for one another. _'No one else will do..'_ Connor's eyes widened as he realized the truth behind the statment. _'No one else will do.'_

His eyes widened slightly as she began to stir, but like the day before, he could not find the will in him to move. Her green eyes stared up at him while he smiled softly down at her.

"Mornin'," he greeted. Dawn smiled up at him from her position. Her head was snuggled between his arm and collar bone. Her arm was around his waist and her leg was wrapped around his. Dawn no longer found it odd how comfortable they were together. She had long ago accepted that it was just another Connor/Stephen thing.

"Good morning," she smiled. She tapped his chest lightly with her fist. "Let me up." He released her instantly and she stood from the bed and stretched before wandering into the bathroom. He sat back and propped up on his elbows.

_ 'Whether I deserve her or not..'_ He thought, _'I want her. I will have her, if only she will have me. From today forward,'_ he vowed, _'I'll work toward that goal.'_

_Never Will You Be Alone_

"What do you mean Dawn has chose her champion?" Buffy finally asked from her shock.

"We don't really understand it ourselves," Tara whispered. "It was just what the Oracles told us."

"Well, get 'em back here and tell 'em the Slayer has some questions!" Buffy insisted. Willow smiled at her friend's usual answer.

"It doesn't work like that, Buffy. The Oracles take orders from no one." Willow spoke powerfully. "It would be very dumb to try." Buffy opened her mouth to protest, but Spike cut off whatever she was going to say.

"Look, Slayer, I know you don't like it, but that's the way it is. If Nibblet has chosen her champion, whomever he is, there is nothing we can do about it."

"How do you know it's a he?" Buffy asked. Spike rose his eyebrows.

"Can just feel it." Spike answered, attempting to look unconcerned. He refused to admit that, like the witches, he had felt something when Dawn had chosen. A small shifting in the ground underneath his feet. Little did he know that miles away Angel was sitting up in his bed wondering just why the Oracles had whispered of his son.

_ "She will be his anchor. But you, his father, will be his guide."_ Angel didn't understand how he could be his son's guide if he were not here for him to give advice too. Holtz last vow still circled in his brain.

_ "He will have nothing to do with you!"_ The vile man had vowed before he raced into the dark portal. Angel snorted now.

_ 'How will I guide him, if he hates me?'_

_Never Will You Be Alone_

"We're going outside the marketplace after breakfast," Connor announced. Dawn glanced over at him as she fastened her sword to her hip. He motioned toward it. "You'll have to learn to use that and I don't believe the market's demons would like us tearing up their hard work no matter how much they like you." Dawn giggled lightly.

"Alright," Dawn consented. _'After all, I would follow you anywhere..'_ Her eyes widened slightly at her thought process. _'I really, really would...'_ She realized.

"Coming?" Connor asked as he held the door open.

"Oh! Yeah, sorry!" Dawn hurried after him.


	8. Permanent

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Eight-Permanent**

"Another night in the inn is free, dear," the inn keeper promised after Dawn had questioned her. "Think of it as my way of showing gratitude for your performance yesterday." Dawn beamed.

"Thank you!" The demoness looked shocked by the rare thanks. "Well, we'll be going now. We're going to test out these new weapons in the woods." Dawn explained. "But we'll be back before dinner." The inn keeper smiled gently at Dawn's back as she raced after Connor.

"Hey, Stephen," Dawn spoke as she fell into step beside him. "How come all the demons here react like that when I thank them for something or..."

"They aren't used to kindness from humans," he explained as they walked even farther into the woods.

"Why not?" Dawn inquired as they stopped in a clearing.

"Because the only humans in this area are my father and myself. At a young age, I had the idea that all demons and vampires were evil, some more than others and would not think twice about harming you. I killed all that I came across except for the ones that stayed in the marketplace and ran the booths." Connor explained as he worked on extending the swords from the cases.

"Ah..." Dawn drawled. "I think Buffy was like that too until she met Angel." Connor glanced up at her with an inquiring brow. "He was following her, watching her. Kinda stalkerish if you ask me, but it was for her own protection. When she found out that he was following her, she didn't react to kindly. He threw her a box with a cross inside it and told her to wear it. Bad things were coming. The necklace saved her life on more than one account." Connor nodded.

"Ready?" He asked. Dawn nodded and pulled her sword from its case.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Angel informed his group of the Oracles' message the next morning. It had only been a week since Connor disappeared from their dimension. They were debating and disecting the message heavily when the phone rang.

"Hello?" Angel answered. His face fell slightly as the voice on the other end reached him. "Spike, what do you want?"

"The Niblet disappeared yesterday."

"Niblet?" Angel asked in disbelief. His team fell silent in their debate and looked over at him. He shrugged.

"Dawn." Spike clarified. Angel paled because of both the nickname and her disappearance.

"What is it? What's happened?" His team asked at the same time. Their words were blurring together even for his hearing.

"You have my attention," Angel drawled, tuning them out.

"The Oracles sent us a message just last night. It said the Key has chosen her champion. The Key in a nutshell is Dawn."

"Why are you telling me this, Spike?" Angel asked.

"I have the feeling that it involves you somehow, Peaches."

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Dawn whimpered lightly as she slid her dress off of her body. Bruises were slowly becoming more and more apparent from training with Connor. For the moment, she was thankful that Connor had stayed behind to talk with the inn keeper. It gave her time to soak in the bath water the inn keeper had set up for her during dinner and it gave her bruises time to heal over.

The bloodied cuts she had arrived in the dimension with, in just a few minutes, had healed over into scars. Dawn hadn't commented on her new found healing ability to Connor, but had considered it a blessing in disguise. Every bruise Connor had ever given her during training had healed up just as quickly.

"That woman is an angel..." Dawn mumured as she sank into the warm water. Dawn made quick work of washing the grime off of her skin before sliding out of the tub and washing her dress. Dawn glanced around the room for something to use as a shirt.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Connor couldn't stop thinking of what the inn keeper had told him as he opened the door to their room. He could hear her splashing around in the bath she had asked the inn keeper to set up. He grimaced lightly at her daring.

_ "Some demons have been in the inn asking about her, Stephen,"_ the inn keeper had told him quietly. _"And they don't seem like the kind that want to hear her sing."_

He leaned against the door and stared up at the ceiling, before scanning the rest of the room for any sign of previous demon activity. He found none.

_ 'Good, they don't know exactly where she is yet...'_ Connor thought as the door to the bathroom slide open. Dawn jumped as she saw Connor standing there. Connor's own eyes were slightly wide at what she had on. A towel was wrapped around her front as a shirt and two straps poked from underneath. Her shorts covered her legs well as she stood in front of him.

"Hey," she finally spoke, breaking his survey of her attire, "what did the inn keeper want to talk to you about?" He shook away his shock.

"Demons have been in the inn asking about you," Connor spoke honestly as he crossed the floor and sat down onto the bed. "She believes that they wish to harm you." Dawn bit into her lip and watched as he rolled his sleeves up and unclasp his weapons from his forearms. "We will leave tomorrow if you wish." Dawn nodded.

"I don't want too, but I don't want to put the demons here in any danger." Connor smiled lightly at her answer and fought down his usual arguement. Demons were evil. He had been tempted to say, but then he thought of the inn keeper's kindness. Not all were evil, he knew that now. He jumped as her hand touched his cheek. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yeah," he answered reflexively. She tilted her eyebrows upward in disbelief. Connor sighed, "No. It's slightly discomforting to find out that the man that had raised me could be wrong in what he taught me."

"I know," Dawn reassured. Connor felt his tense muscles releasing with very sweep of her thumb across his cheek. "But ignorance isn't always the best thing to remain. It's what almost got me killed on multiple occassions."

"The other half was just you," Connor teased. Dawn stuck her tongue out and moved her hand to smack his cheek gently. He caught her wrist before it could connect and kissed the inside of it gently. A small smile graced his face as her heartbeat picked up. "Remember those words you said to me the night I felt down about my father?" Dawn nodded. "Well, you're pretty amazing too." He told her. She blushed lightly at his words.

"Connor.." She breathed. An angelic smile drifted onto her face. Connor felt his own heart beat respond to the sight. His eyes widened as she fell onto him. Her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs were drapped over his own. His weapons made a slight thud as they slipped from his fingers and onto the floor. He felt her tense before she pulled slightly away. "Sorry," she mumbled. "It's just...I don't hear those words often." Silence fell over them as they realized just how close they really were to one another. Dawn bit into her lip as he looked down at them. She leaned forward and kissed him lightly. His eyes widened. She pulled away and blushed. "Sorry, sor-" He cut her off with his own against hers.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

"What did Spike have to say?" Wesley asked once the inital group talking ended. Angel sighed and sank down onto the chair.

"I think I know who his anchor is. Dawn Summers disappeared from earth a day ago. Spike said that a hellgod named Glory was going to use her to open up a portal and unleash her dimension onto our world. While Buffy killed Glory, the portal still didn't close. Spike said that Dawn had somehow broken loose of the chains that held her and jumped into it just as Buffy reached the top landing. Said that he had to stop Buffy from following."

"Dawn Summers is the Key?" Wesley whistled in amazement.

"This is cool and all, but what the fuck is a Key?" Gunn asked. Fred and Cordelia nodded.

"The Key. Dawn Summers is the portal to all dimensions. A guardian if you will." Wesley explained. "Originally, the Key was a ball of cosmic energy. I'm assuming that the monks that guarded her realized that they had caught more than they could handle with Glory and sent the Key to the Slayer in the form of a human sister."

"Awesome, what does it have to do with Connor?" Cordelia asked. Her stance lasped into one of the protective mother.

"Spike said that the message the Oracles gave them was that the Key had chosen her champion. By the message we recieved, I'm guessing that Connor is her champion."

"Great..." Cordelia drawled.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Dawn's innocent exploration of his body was driving him insane. Her fingers traced his chest and dipped across his abs before trailing their way back up again. In the short time since their kiss, Dawn had managed to shed him of his shirt. He had managed to shed the towel she had wrapped around her. Dawn sat back and unfastened her bra, then flung it to the floor before reclaiming his lips again.

His arms locked around her as he leaned even more so into her lips. The heat between them seemed to explode and crackle through the air. His eyes widened as her tongue touched his lips. Instinct was slowly taking over as he opened his mouth to her.

Their hands seemed to becoming more daring in their explorations. His hands cupped her breasts. She gasped lightly into his mouth as he kneaded them gently.

"Connor..." She sighed.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

"Should we allow this to happen?" Mother Oracle asked her husband.

"It will make their bond more permanent," Father Oracle consented. The youngest Oracle's eyes were wide at her father's argeement.

"Well, turn off the screen then! You bunch of pervs!" She exclaimed as she spun around.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Connor's eyes widened as her hips ground roughly against his. A small moan tore from her lips at the feel of him. A small growl escaped his lips as he grabbed her hips and flipped them over. He sat back on his knees and pulled her shorts down while she worked with the button on his jeans.

When all of their clothes joined the others on the floor, the two teens paused to look at one another. A silent question in both of their eyes: _"Do you want to continue?"_ Dawn smiled up at him. He leaned down and kissed her gently. Dawn sighed lightly against them and gripped his shoulders as he slowly slid into her.


	9. Promises

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Nine-Promises**

Dawn opened her green eyes with a content sigh even though her body was still sore and ached from the night's previous activity. She brought her hands down from the pillow and fell down onto his arm. Absentmindedly, she ran her hand back and forth over his arm while she thought.

"Where do we go from here?" She wondered aloud.

"Where do you want to go?" Dawn jumped as Connor's voice came from behind her. He chuckled and rolled above her. He looked down at her with a gentle smile.

"Well, what do you want us to be?" Dawn asked. Connor was tempted to return her question, but the look in her eyes spoke volumes. She wanted his honest answer. She needed it.

"I want you," he informed. "In any form or fashion you want me to have you." Dawn smiled up at him and attempted to fight away the thoughts his sentence provoked.

"Boyfriend and girlfriend, okay?" Dawn asked sheepishly. Connor smiled.

"Do I still get to kiss you?" He asked. Dawn giggled and nodded.

"And much more," Dawn added. Connor wiggled his eyebrows at her. She laughed and pushed against his chest. "But all that other will have to wait. Still sore." Dawn watched his brow furrow in confusion.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" He asked. Dawn shook her head.

"No. It just..normally hurts the girl the first time," she explained. Her face was a gentle red. He seemed to accept her answer and rolled from above her. She stood from the bed with a wide stretch.

Connor watched the cat like way her body moved as she patted into the bathroom. She scooped up her discarded clothing as she walked. He shook his head with a slight laugh before standing and getting dressed himself.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Buffy was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Her sister had been missing for twenty-nine hours. She hadn't slept in twenty-nine hours. Buffy knew that her friends were worried about her, but she couldn't bring herself to leave Dawn's room.

_'Everything about her I took for granted...'_Buffy felt as though she were close to choking as she pulled her sister's favorite stuffed animal to her chest.

"Buffy?" Tara called gently from the door. "Breakfast is done..." Her golden brown eyes were heavy with sadness as she watched her friend holding the small lamb as if it were a lifeline.

"I should have gotten there sooner.." Buffy whimpered. Tara stepped into the room and sat on the end of Dawn's bed. "Maybe she wouldn't have..maybe I could have.."

"Buffy," Tara placed her hand underneath her friend's chin and brought the tear stained face upward. "Dawn isn't dead." Tara pried the small lamb from Buffy's steel grasp. "She is trapped in another dimension. She will be back."

"How do you know?" Buffy sniffed, staring up at Tara with wide, hopeful green eyes. Tara smiled and pushed some of Buffy's fallen hair out of her face.

"Have you ever known Dawnie to break a promise?" Tara asked. At Buffy's confused look, Tara moved to clarify. "When Willow and I were having problems, Dawn told me that she would always be there for me. For all of us. How is she going to be there is she isn't here?"

"What if she's happy there?" Buffy choked. "Where ever she is..."

"Then we should be happy in her place and pray that she will return." Tara ompted not to add that hell dimensions were not known for giving their occupants happiness. Or that it was a miracle she was still alive.

_"The Key has chosen her champion..."_ Tara recalled. _'He is her protector.'_

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Dawn smiled at the sad inn keeper as she held her hands in between her scaly ones.

"You will come back to visit me, won't you, dear?" The elderly demon whispered. Dawn smiled brightly.

"I will. I promise." The inn keeper smiled and patted her hand before dropping them. Connor stood beside Dawn shifting restlessly back and forth when the demoness turned to him.

"Keep her safe, Stephen," the inn keeper whispered as she shook his hand. Connor nodded, but did not speak. The inn keeper smiled sadly and dropped his hand. Connor rested his hand on Dawn's lower back as they walked out of the marketplace.

"We will see her again, won't we?" Dawn asked, her tone low and gentle. Connor glanced over at her and allowed a small smile to spread onto his face.

"We will," he promised.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

"You think the Bit will come back?" Spike asked the red headed witch in a low tone over the dinner table. Willow watched the blonde vampire over her pancakes. His eyes were red. He had been crying in the silence of the night. Willow swallowed her bite and set her fork down.

"We can hope she will," Willow answered in a low tone. "There is no evidence that she won't return, but Spike...she's in a hell dimension." Spike's eyes widened in horror. "She might not come back the same Dawnie we know.."

"She will..." Xander growled angrily from the now open back door causing Spike and Willow to jump. Anya stood behind Xander with tears in her eyes and donuts in her arms. None of them noticed Buffy coming down the stairs with a worried Tara tagging behind.

"Dawn's in a hell dimension..." Anya whispered. Her legs suddenly felt as though they had turned to jelly. Buffy stopped at the foot of the stairs. Her whole body locked up. The words 'hell dimension' circled in her mind.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

"Hey, don't get too far ahead!" Connor called out as Dawn raced ahead of him. Still a small smile graced his face at her confidence with terrain. Even through his nervousness about being out in the open again, he couldn't help but admire the way she moved about the wilderness. He glanced down when he climbed over a log. When he glanced up Dawn was gone.

"Let go of me!" He heard Dawn protest. He burst through the treelining to see a hand wrapped around Dawn's ankle just as three other demons rose from the ground. Connor jerked his arms enough for his blades to come free of the leather that held them. The demon holding her screeched as Connor's blade sliced through his wrist.

"Now, now, Stephen," one demon taunted, "There aren't many women in these parts...why must you hog the only one.." Connor was aware of her grip tightening against his bare shoulder. He was vaguely aware of her other hand sliding downward to her sword.

"Sorry, boys, she's not up for grabs," Connor vowed. The noise of a sword being drawn brought the other demons up short. Dawn turned on her heel so that they were back to back.

"I've got your back," Dawn promised, her breath brushed against the shell of his ear as she spoke. He nodded and stepped foward to swing at the nearest demon. The fight was on. The closed demon raced toward her. Dawn side stepped his swing and brought the sword down into the skin of his neck. His head fell to the ground with a sickening squish.

Connor glanced back at her to make sure she was alright. Dawn nearly cursed aloud as the demon coming from the ground chose that moment to take advantage. She leapt to her feet and thrust herself in front of the blade. Searing pain exploded through her as the sword met her flesh. The demon screeched out as Dawn shoved her blade into his midsection and ripped upward through the pain.

Dawn fought the pain as she turned toward the closest demon flung her sword into the demon's unprotected head. She rolled away from a strike and yanked her sword from the fallen demon's head. Connor seemed to shake out of his shock at her action and fought off the demon that had been dangerously close to Dawn. Dawn turned to the demon's friend and swung her sword as hard as she could. Her eyes widened as the blade bit through the armor and sliced through the demon's stomach. Both demons fell in tantum to one another.

Dawn swayed on uneasy feet. Blood loss was gradually taking its toll. Connor turned in time to catch her before she could fall. He swallowed back tears as he looked down at her. He wanted to shake her, scream at her, but most of all, he wanted to kiss her.

"Thanks," she mumbled. Connor opened his mouth to reply, but the ground began to shake and split open. More demons rose from the earth. Dawn murmured a curse while Connor tensed. His arm was still around her waist supporting her and attempting to stop the bleeding.

As Dawn stared at the many demons around her, she thought of the chant that Glory and her men had done. Connor moved forward to fight against them, but Dawn tightened her grip on his arm. He glanced over at her. His eyes widened to see her lips moving in a silent speech. He tilted his head as a glow overtook them.


	10. Consider the Possibility

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Ten-Consider the Possibility**

Connor's breath escaped him a hurried fashion as his body smacked the hard, unforgiving floor. He rolled over on his side to see Dawn bleeding freely. His eyes widened. He was now aware of the raised voices screaming to get the doctor as he crawled toward the fallen girl. His mind was still reeling as he thought of what she had done for him. He pressed his hand over the gash the sword had made.

"Connor?" He heard his name called. His brown eyes widened. Only a select handful of people knew about his real name. Those people were those that had taken care of him, the man that he had been raised to hate, and the woman that he loved: his father and company and Dawn. Fear and anger were rising within him as he looked over. Angel, he only knew from description, stood inches away from him. His hand was outstretched. A small hand closed around his. Connor glanced down to see Dawn's soulful green eyes staring up at him. She smiled gently.

"I'm sorry...I didn't tell you what I was going to do.." She breathed. "In my defense, I didn't know we would end up here.." Angel seemed to finally realize that Connor had company. His eyes widened as he took in the girl's fallen form.

"Dawnie?" He breathed in shock. Connor swallowed as Dawn's words rose back to the surface. _"He is a good man, but I'll let you judge for yourself." _He may have thought many times that he wanted to meet his father, but in the light of the current situation he only wanted to get his bleeding girlfriend away from the vampire.

"Connor," Dawn breathed. Connor smiled despite the situation, hoping to give her comfort. Her tone was pleading.

"I'm not going anywhere...don't worry," he soothed as he brought his hand up to clutch hers. She rewarded him with the gentle smile he found he loved. Connor found that he couldn't smile back. The reality of how close he is to losing her was sinking in.

"Don't be mad at me, please..." She pleaded. Connor shook his head.

"I'm not...I'm not..." He repeated. "I promise." He rested his forehead on hers as a small woman with light brown hair came racing into the room. Angel stood watching the two teens in shock as did everyone else remaining in the room.

_'How did they meet? What was she doing here? Why is she bleeding?'_ He wondered. His thought racing. _'Why isn't she with Buffy?'_

Connor could still feel the horror and shock in his system. She had nearly sacrificed herself so that he could live. _"Love."_ He recalled Adam's word. _'Love is what makes people sacrifice right?'_He thought uncertainly.

"Connor, I'm Fred...you don't remember me but.." Connor didn't look away from Dawn's pale face. "Connor, you're going to have to let go of her so that I can treat her.." Connor tilted his head and looked down. His arm had wrapped around Dawn's waist and shoulders. Her blood was seeping through his fingers.

"I'll be alright..." Dawn soothed. Her hand was shaking as she patted his cheek. _'I may heal fast..but this hurts like a bitch!'_Dawn screamed mentally as she attempted to hide her pain from the man holding her.

"I..." Connor whispered. Dawn smiled up at him and shook her head. Her meaning was clear. She didn't want him to say anything he wouldn't say normally. Connor sighed as he passed her smaller body to Fred. His eyes never left Dawn even as a strong hand fell to his shoulder.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up," Connor looked over to see his father staring down at him. "She'll be fine. Fred'll take good care of her." Connor couldn't find it in himself to draw on the hatred Holtz had instilled as he stood up. Angel smiled gently at him, only to recieve a cold glare. Angel's smile faltered slightly as he led Connor into a room. "The shower is just beyond that door.." Angel stated. "Towels are under the sink..."

"Thank you.." Connor mumbled grudgingly. Angel smiled.

"No problem, son..." Angel spoke the endearment rather bashfully. Connor didn't say a word just stepped into the bathroom. Angel lingered for a moment.

"I'm not going anywhere.." Connor spoke through the door, surprising Angel. "Leave."

"Alright.." Angel whispered before he turned to leave.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

"I just got a hit!" Willow cried happily causing Buffy to jerk up from the table she had been leaning on. Tara and she had been scrying for hours after breakfast trying to find Dawn.

"Where is she?" Buffy asked as she scrambled up from the chair. Willow's eyes widened.

"In...Los Angeles..." Willow turned to look at Buffy, who had gone deadly still.

"Why would she be..." The phone rang ending whatever Buffy had started to say. Buffy raced toward it and nearly knocked Xander and Spike over. A crash came from the kitchen as Buffy reached the phone. "Angel!" Buffy exclaimed. "Is Dawn with you?"

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Connor fought back bile as he looked down at the blood covering his arms. _'Dawn's blood...'_ The image of the blade coming toward him and Dawn blocking its path before he could kept flashing through his mind. He scrubbed his arms roughly. _'I've just found her! I...can't fucking lose her!'_He slammed his fist into the shower tile. The satisifing shatter only eased his anger a little, but did nothing for his pain.

Angel could hear the tile crumbling under Connor's fist from the room they had stored Dawn in. He cast a pained glance toward the door. He wanted to go to his son, but knew he would only be sent away. _'Holtz lived up to his threat...Connor wants nothing to do with me...'_He thought painfully. A pained gasp and whimper brought his attention to the present. He looked back to the young girl. Fred's hands were hovering over the long, bleeding gash that seemed to slowly be healing.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Willow waved lightly as Buffy climbed into her car. Tara wrapped an arm around her partner's shoulder.

"It'll be alright.." Tara attempted to soothe. Willow looked over at her with wide, sad eyes.

"What if Dawn doesn't want to come back?" Willow asked. Tara and the remaining gang froze. No one had considered that as a possibilty.


	11. I Love You

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Eleven-I Love You**

Connor knocked on Dawn's door gently, praying that she wasn't asleep or worse. His hair was still drenched from the shower and his eyes were still sore from crying. He was rewarded for his efforts when her gentle call came through the wood.

"Come in..." Connor frowned as he pushed it open. She sounded so tired. Her face lit up as she saw him standing at the doorway. "Connor..." Dawn breathed in slight relief. He tilted his head.

"Why so surprised?" He asked as he stepped walked toward her bedside. Dawn extended her hand to him. He took it and then was yanked onto the bed next to her. He then felt the warmth of tears on his chest.

"I thought...don't you ever..." She choked. Even with his enhanced hearing ability he couldn't catch what she was saying. Connor ran his fingers through her long hair.

"Dawnie, baby, I can't hear what you're saying.." He said gently. Dawn snuggled deeper into his unmoving chest. Connor wrapped his arm around her waist, careful of a wound that wasn't there.

"Don't you ever get distracted again in a battle. Not because of me.." She spoke clearly through her tears. Connor tightened his arm around her.

"Dawn, look at me." She did as he asked. Connor slipped a finger underneath her chin. "I'm going to worry about you. I'm going to get distracted. I'm going to want to protect you. All because I love you." Dawn's eyes widened at his admission. "I think I have since you held me and told me that what I was didn't matter. Because I was amazing no matter what. What you did...how I felt...only confirmed those feelings." Connor sat up suddenly and pulled her against his chest, forcing her to raise up into a sitting position. "I...don't know what I would have done if I had lost you.."

"Been lost," Dawn teased.

"Good to see your feeling better already," Connor drawled with a gentle smile. Dawn giggled.

"For the record, I love you too." Dawn was momentarily blinded by the brilliance of his smile.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Angel and Cordelia had thought to check up on Dawn when the conversation the two teenagers were having reached them.

_"Don't you ever get distracted again in a battle. Not because of me.."_

_"Dawn, look at me. I'm going to worry about you. I'm going to get distracted. I'm going to want to protect you. All because I love you."_ Cordelia glanced at Angel with wide eyes. The dark vampire only smiled lightly at his son's admission. Cordelia rolled her eyes, but couldn't help her own smile. It was her son's first love, after all, and if she had anything to say about it, it would be his last. _"I think I have since you held me and told me that what I was didn't matter. Because I was amazing no matter what. What you did...how I felt...only confirmed those feelings."_ It was slowly becoming apparent for the two adults the origins of Dawn's wounds when she fell into their dimension with Connor in tow. The wound was because of him, because she sheilded him. Angel glanced over at Cordelia. A thanks was in order. _"I...don't know what I would have done if I had lost you.."_At Dawn's witty remark, Angel and Cordelia turned and walked back down the hall.

When they reached the privacy of Angel's office, they sat on the couch and stared at the floor.

"I never hated Dawn, Angel. I was jealous of her sister and petty over how special Buffy was to everyone, but I never disliked the girl. If anything, that in there...only increased my like for her." Angel nodded.

"There's a lot I have to make up for when it comes to her. Her last memory of me isn't a good one." Angel admitted. "I suppose now I have the chance to start. Connor wouldn't have stayed here if it weren't for her. Hell, he probably wouldn't have came back if it weren't for whatever it was she did." Cordelia stared at Angel. "And that smile..." Angel laughed. His own face split into one of brillance, stunning Cordelia for a moment. "The way she makes him smile..." Cordelia smiled.

"I know." Angel's smile fell.

"And Buffy's on her way to L.A." Cordelia's heart sank. "She's going to take Connor's reason for smiling back to Sunnydale.."

"We don't know that..." Cordelia attempted to soothe as she stood from the couch. Her arms wrapped around Angel's broad shoulders. Her fingers ran through his short hair. "It's summer, Angel. If Dawn asks, I'm sure Buffy will let her stay. We can compromise." Angel would never admit just how much Cordelia's words comforted him as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

"How do you like your room?" Dawn asked as they settled back onto the bed. Connor ran his fingers up and down her hip bone. To some their conversation may seem on birthed from awkwardness, but to them-it was casual, comfortable.

"It's kind of empty," Connor admitted.

"I know what you mean," Dawn agreed. "Think it's because we spent so much time together in Quor'Toth? You know in the same bed?" Connor nodded. "You know..." Dawn's finger traced a heart pattern on his chest as she spoke, "you could always sneak in here during the night and sleep next to me." Connor laughed.

"I could." He confirmed as he placed his hand over hers. He rolled so that he hovered over her. "And I will." He vowed as he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "Every night." Once more. "I promise you." Another. Dawn laughed as he pulled away the third time.

"Just shut up." She demanded as she pulled him down to her. Connor smirked before their lips met again and again. Connor propped himself up on his elbows when his tired arms began to shake. Dawn smiled up at him while he rested his forehead on hers.

"I love you," Connor vowed. Dawn smiled up at him.

"I love you too."


	12. Stalling

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Twelve-Stalling**

A gentle knock startled the teens from a much needed sleep. That night in the wilderness of Quor'Toth had made Dawn as jumpy as Connor was alert. The door eased open to reveal Cordelia Chase. She smiled sheepishly at the glare the teens gave her.

"I know that you guys are tired," Connor raised his eyebrow at that. Cordelia's sheepish smile became one of fondness for her 'son'. "But I thought that you should know. Buffy's on her way here. She should get here at about twelve-thirty." Cordelia bit into her lip as Dawn's face fell and Connor's arm tightened around her. "Dawn," the young Summers girl looked up at her. "I'm not going to ask you to leave or for you to stay. It is completely up to you." Cordelia spared a glance toward her son. His arm had tightened even more around her waist. Dawn's hand was laying on his leg. Her fingers seemed to dance across the cloth of his pj pants in a small heart. Her fingers never drifted higher from where they were. "I'll just be leaving now.." Cordelia motioned toward the door. As she turned, a voice stopped her.

"Thank you, Cordelia..." A small smile drifted to the older woman's face.

"You're weclome, Dawn."

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Dawn looked over at her boyfriend when Cordelia left. She frowned lightly at the tense set of his body. She moved her hand from his thigh and onto his back. She rubbed soothing circles onto his muscles. She alternated the pressure she applied with each pass.

"Are you going to leave?" Connor asked finally. Dawn bit into her lip.

"I don't want too. I could probably stay for the rest of the summer. But when school starts..." Dawn trailed off. Connor understood.

"How long is summer?" Connor asked.

"From May to August." Dawn explained.

"Which is it now?" Dawn tilted her head.

"I'm not sure.." She mumbled with her finger tip to her chin. "Come on!" She exclaimed patting his back. "Let's go ask." Connor eyes widened as she stood easily.

"Hey!" He cried, standing with her. "Are you sure you should be-"

"I'm fine." He watched as she bit her lip. "Completely." She mumbled as she lifted the shirt that Angel had brought her. Where the blade had bit into her skin, a small scar remained.

Connor tilted his head as he noticed three other scars littering her skin. Vaguely, he wondered why he didn't see them the night they had sex for the first time. With a troubled mind, he reached out. She jerked lightly when Connor ran his finger from her rib cage to her hip. She let out a small breath at his inquiring touch. While she tried to hide it, Connor still felt skin quiver as her muscles reacted to him. He suppressed a small smirk.

"Doc. He was one of Glory's henchmen. He was the one to open the portal." For a moment, asking about the month was slowly sliding from her mind the more his fingers roamed across her stomach. She explained the same for the one that stretched in a diagonal line from the top of her rib cage to her belly button.

Dawn jumped when Connor's lip touched one, then shuddered lightly as his tongue traced it. As he moved to pay the same attention to her other, Dawn's fingers ran through his hair.

"Connor.." She sighed.

"Hmm?" He answered as his lips wandered away from her scars and danced across the plains of her stomach.

"We need to ask about the date..." Dawn tried. Her protest sounded weak even to her.

"Date can wait.." Connor mumbled as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back onto the bed. Dawn tumbled onto the double bed with a slight squeak, then Connor was over her. His lips met hers gently. "I just want to.." Dawn didn't let him finish; instead, she claimed his lips again. "Spend all the time I can alone with you before.."

"Then stop talking." Dawn demanded as she flipped them and slid her shirt above her head. Connor smiled and slid his hands up her rib cage. He pulled down the straps of her bra and watched with interested eyes as she slid it off. Just as her bra fell to the ground, Dawn began pulling at his shirt hem. He obliged to her desire and sat up. His face was level with her neck as she rid him of the white T. His lips fell onto her neck. Kissing and biting lightly.

Connor loved the way she gasped and sighed just as much as he loved the way she loved and smiled. He let go of her waist as she began to push him back onto the bed.

"Da-" He began to protect as she slid off of him and stood up. She winked at him and slipped off her bottoms and shut the door with her hip. With a simple twist of her fingers the door was locked. Connor smiled crookedly. Dawn looked pointedly at him. He rolled his eyes as he stood from the bed and slipped his own bottoms off.

A small laugh escaped Dawn's lips as Connor lifted her into his arms and laid her onto the bed.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

The hotel was empty except for Cordelia and Angel. Gunn, Fred, and Wesley had gone to talk to a source about a recent demon attack. Cordelia raced an eyebrow as Angel smacked his head onto the coffee table.

"Wonder no longer..." He mumbled. Cordelia set the file she had been holding down and moved over to him.

"Wonder about what?" Cordelia asked. Angel shook his head.

"Turn on the radio..." He pleaded. Cordelia's eyes widened.

"Oh! Right..going.." Just as her finger hit the button, she turned back on Angel. "How old is Dawn?"

"Sixteen." Angel mumured. "Old enough.."

"But..Angel..." Cordelia protested. Angel glanced up to see her teetering on the balls of her feet as if debating to run upstairs and stop the teens.

"Cordelia how old were you when you started having sex?" Cordelia blushed brightly and looked away from Angel.

"I don't see how that has anything-"

"It does. You were probably Dawn's age, weren't you? I know I was when I lost my virginity."

"Angel, over a thousand years ago, it wasn't considered against the law!" Cordelia argued. Angel raised his eyebrows.

"Cordy." Cordelia turned away from him and through her hands into the air.

"Fine! I'm being a hypocrite!" Cordelia's body tensed as Angel's arms came around her waist. She sighed. "I know I'm being slightly unreasonable. I just don't want him to get hurt.."

"We can't prevent him from that. It's a stepping stone of life," Angel mumured against her hair. "Dawn makes him happy. Instead of bursting in there and getting a rather awkward eye full, why don't we go get something to eat from the kitchen?" Cordelia laughed as her stomach growled.

"You always seem to time it.." Cordelia grumbled, shaking out of his arms. Angel let them fall with a goofy grin on his face before racing after her.


	13. Tension

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Thirteen-Tension**

Buffy had just drove past the "Welcome to LA" sign with a look of bewilderment. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't paid much attention. She only stopped for bathroom breaks and to fuel up on gas.

Buffy sighed as her stomach forced her to pull over. She pulled the keys from the ignition and locked the doors before heading into the fast food restraunt. Even as she ordered, her mind was filled with questions.

_'What will I say to Dawn? Angel said that she arrived with someone. What if she doesn't want to leave? What if she's not the same Dawnie she left as?'_ All those questions came back as she sat down at the table and opened her burger. _'Who's Connor and why did Angel sound so relieved that he was back? Where did he go? What happened?'_ Her burger and fries had no taste as she swallowed them down. She grabbed her Dr. Pepper, threw her trash away, and practically ran to her car. _'I'll go crazy if I keep asking myself those questions. Dawnie's going to be happy to see me. She's going to be normal. She's going to want to come home.'_

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Angel and Cordelia glanced away from the window as Dawn and Connor finally came down stairs. Cordelia lowered her sandwich to her plate as the two teens sank onto the couch across from them.

"What's up?" Cordelia asked.

"If you do want me to stay..will you be there to back me up when I handle Buffy?" Dawn asked. Her fingers seemed to pick at the hem of the shirt Cordelia had loaned her. Connor placed his hand over hers to still the motion.

"Yes, we will," Angel promised. Dawn smiled faintly at him, but did not look at him. Cordelia's and Connor's eyes followed the quick exchange. Both mother and son looked at one another before looking back at their respective partners-or in Cordelia's case possible partner.

The words Angel had muttered in the office the night before came back to Cordelia as she stared over at him. _"I have a lot to make up for when it comes to her. Her last memory of me isn't a good one."_

The signs that Cordelia couldn't detect played all to clearly for Angel and his son. Connor watched his girlfriend's face for any sign that she wanted out of the room. When he recieved none, he looked over at his was afraid. It was a fleeting emotion, but it was still there all the same.

Dawn was lost in the memory that had been threatening to resurface since she first laid eyes on Angel. The night he had came into her home.

_**A small crash averted Dawn's attention from the stove. Her hand loosened it's slack on the pot holder she had been holding over the iron skillet's handle when she felt it. The eerie brush of breath on the side of her neck. The body was too tall to be Buffy or her mother.**_

_**"It's dangerous," the person behind her breathed. The pot holder slipped onto the counter. A hand brushed her neck. "For young girls," Dawn curled her hand over the iron skillet's handle and supressed the urge to scream at the pain. "To be home by them-" Crack! Angel's head snapped to the side. A scream tore from his lips at the pain, but Dawn didn't stop running. She knew that it wouldn't be far behind her as she darted for her neighbor's house. Luckily enough, the Reilly's eldest boy had left the window open. Dawn hurdled her body threw it as Angel's hand brushed her back.**_

_**The eldest boy turned at the small shout she gave. His eyes widened as he saw the man at his window and the youngest Summers girl trembling on his bed. He reacted quickly. The window was slammed shut in the livid Angel's face as Ivan Reilly hollered for his mother to call the police.**_

Angel absentmindedly raised his hand to his jaw. Some nights, he could still feel the burn from the skillet that had made him stumble. Angelus had been pissed to lose a victim so easily, while Angel had been proud and thrilled that she had gotten away.

"I'm sorry..." Angel whispered, causing every head to turn to him. He brought his brown eyes up to Dawn's startled green ones.

"When it happened, I was scared. After it happened, I was pissed and thought Buffy was crazy. When I figured out why you did it though...that you weren't in possession of a soul-the thing that kept you sane, it was easy for me to forgive you. After all," Dawn smirked. "You didn't hurt me." Angel blinked owlishly before laughing. Dawn's smirk drifted into a smile.

"Okay, what the hell happened?" Cordelia demanded, curious and confused. Connor looked to share her sentiments as Angel's laughter fell silent. Dawn looked to him to tell the story. Angel cast a sad glance at his son before starting a story that would probably only increase his son's hatred for him.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Buffy walked up the stairs that Harmony had motioned too and caught Angel's voice as he told a story of his time as Angelus. One name ran her blood cold: Dawn. Buffy's hand stilled on the knob as she listened to the rest of the story. Thousands of emotions ran through her as the story came to a close.

_'Why didn't Dawn tell it was Angel, instead of lying?'_Buffy wondered as she pushed open the door. Every head turned to her. Dawn's body tensed like a fine chord.

"Why didn't you tell me?" The Slayer asked her little sister.


	14. No Power in the World

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Fourteen-No Power In The World**

"Because you tend to overreact." Dawn mumbled as she kept her grip firm on Connor's trembling hand. Her sister's outrage at overhearing Angel's retelling of the story had already faded into the background of her mind. Connor's anger became more important.

"You said that he was a good man," Connor whispered. Dawn fought off the flinch as his grip tightened even more on her hand. Dawn brought her hand up to run through her boyfriend's hair.

"He is. Angelus wasn't," Dawn said. Her trapped hand was throbbing, but she didn't utter a word. "Remember what I told you, about there being a difference. With a soul, Angel is one of the better men. You are coming in at a close second." Connor slowly turned his glaring eyes away from his father and onto his girlfriend.

Angel looked at the confused and still furious Buffy practically vibrating in her rage at the doorway. With a furrowed brow, Angel looked toward Cordelia. She nodded seeming to understand what her friend was asking of her.

"Buffy," Cordelia called. "You have every right to be mad, but now is so not the time."

Connor felt like everything was piling up at once. Returning home, being told that his father attempted to kill his girlfriend years ago, and now Dawn's sister coming to take her away. It was all too much.

Dawn gasped as Connor pulled her across the couch and into his arms. From the way she was seated, she could see Buffy's eyes widen in surprise. But like her sister's rages, Dawn tuned it out and wrapped her arms around Connor's shoulders. She leaned her head into the area between his shoulder blade and neck.

"I'm not leaving you." Dawn whispered to him. "We arranged with Angel and Cordelia that I would stay here until the end of summer."

Buffy's shock at seeing her sister in the unknown boy's lap allowed Cordelia to gain ground in steering Buffy into Angel's office. Angel cast one more glance at his son before following the women.

"But what if it doesn't work?" Connor mumbled against her neck.

"Then I suppose you'll have to learn how to work a phone and a computer." Dawn spoke seriously. Connor tilted his head in confusion. Dawn smiled softly against the skin of his neck. "Angel will show you what they are."

"Buffy, will you listen to me for a damned second!" Dawn jumped in Connor's lap at hearing Angel raise his voice. Connor tightened his arms around her. "That boy you just insulted his my son!" Silence fell over Dawn's ears but Connor could still hear every word. "He was taken from me a week ago to a hell dimension by a man name Holtz. He had a well placed grudge against me..." Connor didn't want to hear the pain in his father's voice as he spoke of his disappearance, so he pulled Dawn from his lap and stood.

"Connor?" Dawn tilted her head, her expression was of pure confusion. He smiled slightly and extended his hand to her. She took it without hesitation. He pulled her to her feet. "Where are we going?"

"Away from here." Connor said simply.

"But we need to be here to talk to Buffy about-"

"I didn't say we were leaving. We're just going to find a training room." Connor soothed. Dawn tilted her head. "I'll ask..Harmony where one is."

"Alright," Dawn consented as Connor pulled her along behind him.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Buffy sat quietly and listened to Angel's story of Connor and of the attack. When they were ready to return, Angel crused to see Dawn and Connor absent from where they left them.

"Harmony," Angel started.

"Training room," she stated easily. "I suppose Connor needed to blow off some steam."

"If your boy has hurt her, no power in the world could save him.." Buffy threatened as they walked toward the room.


	15. Prophecy

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Fifteen-Prophecy**

Buffy and Angel's eyes widened slightly as the entered the training room. Each time Connor would strike out, Dawn would avoid it and come back with one of her own that Connor would side step.

"It looks like they're dancing..." Cordelia mumbled as she watched. Buffy couldn't help but agree. It was like looking at the mirrored image of Angel and herself when they would spare. Suddenly, Dawn got a hit.

"Ohh!" Dawn teased as she side stepped a rather close kick. "Come on, baby. Get serious." Buffy raised her eyebrows and looked over at Angel.

"That isn't his serious?" She whispered to him, disbelievingly. As if taking her advice, Connor's strikes started coming faster and Dawn's foot work began to match his as she moved out of his way. Buffy's eyes widened as Connor's fist met the wall behind Dawn and crumbled the plaster easily.

Connor couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped him as Dawn kissed his cheek during her last dodge. He yanked his fist from the wall, but wasn't fast enough. He felt Dawn's knee pressing against his spinal cord and her hands in the 'break neck' position.

"Got ya." Dawn whispered against his ear. Connor laughed. Her hands fell from his neck and her leg dropped just as Connor turned around.

"You're getting better." Connor praised. Dawn rolled her eyes and picked up the water bottles Harmony had delivered. She tossed one to Connor and opened her own.

"Please, I can keep up with you when you're in serious mode. It's better than I could do when I first arrived in Quor'Toth!"

"Much better," Connor snorted. Dawn stuck her tongue out and took a big swig of her water while Connor shook his head with a small smile.

"You've been training her." Buffy stated. Connor and Dawn looked over at Buffy's dry statment. She leaned against the archway of the training room while Angel and Cordelia stood beside her. "I'm impressed." Her praise was rewarded by Dawn's smile and Connor's nod. She kicked away from the archway.

Angel recognized this Buffy. It was the no-nonsense Buffy. Dawn and Connor were going to need their help if they were to convince Buffy to let Dawn stay the summer.

"Come on, Dawn, we've got to get back." Buffy's eyes narrowed as Dawn stepped closer to Connor. His reaction only annoyed her more. His arm wrapped around her little sister's shoulders.

"I want to stay the summer." Dawn's tone was firm and contained no hint of nerves. Angel attempted to smother a smile. Judging by Buffy's expression, she wasn't used to this side of Dawn.

"I'm sorry. I made that sound like you had a choice," Buffy growled. Angel and Cordelia tensed at the hard look that washed over Connor's face. The tension in the air reached smothering levels when the Angel was almost knocked over by a panicked Wesley. Angel glared angrily at the ex-Watcher. Wesley, for the first time since he inadverted helped Holtz, paid him no mind.

"I'm sorry, Buffy, but you can't separate them." Buffy turned toward her ex-Watcher. Her own green eyes hard and angry. Wesley didn't even flinch, but hurried to elaborate. "Read this," he demanded, throwing an aged scroll toward Buffy. She caught it easily and opened it. An annoyed huff escaped her lips.

"I can't read a different language, Wesley," she drawled. Dawn rolled her eyes and snatched the parchment from Buffy's hand. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.

"What's it say?" Buffy asked, reading her sister's expression. Fear clouded Dawn's sight for a moment before she shook her hand and began to read.

"On the fortnight of the Destoryer's return, another will rise. The temptation the newer power holds will be too great if stripped of his anchor. The world will fall into destruction as hell splits wide and brings forth the First and his army. With the Destroyer commanding his units, the First will know the ultimate power." Dawn's face was white as she read the next line. Her legs began to shake a small moan tore from her lips. "I'm not ready to be mother!"

"What the fuck? Where does it say that?" Buffy burst. Dawn took an unsteady breathe and read the last.

"The portal to the worlds will give birth to destruction's child. The son will kill the father." Connor's arms tightened around Dawn's waist.

"I really really don't want to be a mother.." Dawn whispered.

"Okay..." Cordelia started. "It's settled then. Dawn's staying."

Buffy stared at the forgein language as the reality of the prophecy slowly sank in. It hinged completely on Dawn. The fate of their world hinged on Dawn, a sixteen year old mystical ball of energy.

Connor was rubbing Dawn's arms. She allowed him to hold her up as she looked to Wesley.

"From what it sounds like," Dawn started, "all of this," she motioned toward the parchment in her hand, "will happen only if Connor and I are separated." Wesley nodded. An idea was forming in Dawn's head. "Angel." The dark vampire looked over at her. "Throw me your lighter." With a small tilt of his head, he did as she asked. Wesley's eyes widened as she clicked the Zippo and set the parchment on fire. Buffy blinked owlishly. Dawn let the burning parchment fall from her hand. "No one will be able to use it against us." Wesley nodded numbly, still unbelieving of what she had done.

"Wesley?" Angel said. The ex-watcher looked over at his grudge holding friend. The vampire's cold eyes bore into his. "Get out of my office." Wesley smothered a sigh, but did as his once-upon-a-time friend asked.


	16. Stronger

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Sixteen-Stronger**

Buffy climbed numbly into her car. Her mission to bring her sister home had been a fail. She took one last glance at the building her sister was staying the summer in and put the car in drive.

_"I'll call everyday."_ Dawn had promised. Buffy would just have to hold onto Tara's belief that Dawn would not break a promise. She sighed as she pulled away from the curb.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Dawn and Connor stood behind the tinted window of the hotel and watched the Slayer leave. A small sigh escaped Dawn's lips as Buffy's car drifted out of sight. Connor kissed her shoulder gently. Dawn's smile reflected off the window.

"It's not like you're losing her, you know," Connor said. "You'll still get to see her again."

"I know," Dawn answered as she turned in his arms. Her own rose to wrap around his neck. She stood on her tiptoes to reach him and buried her head into his shoulder. "It's just this is the first time I'm breaking a promise." Connor stayed silent and waited for his girlfriend to explain. His hands rubbed soothing circles all along her back. "I promised my friend, Tara, that I would always be there for her."

"You are," Connor promised. His breath brushed her neck gently as he spoke. "It doesn't always mean that you have to be in the same area as someone to be there for them." He could feel Dawn's smile against his neck. She kissed his skin lightly before pulling away from him.

"Thank you." Her green eyes were shining happily as she looked up at him. Connor smiled and kissed her quickly. He laid his forehead on hers.

"You're welcome." It wasn't until Angel cleared his throat that Dawn realized they were no longer alone. Connor glared at his father as Dawn turned around. His arms came back around her waist as he waited for the vampire to talk.

"Dinner's ready.." Angel couldn't take his eyes off his son's glaring ones. Each glare the young boy sent his way felt like a knife slowly cutting his skin. His son really did hate him. That had to change.

Connor couldn't understand why he was now so angry at the man in front of him. The entire time he was trapped in Quor'Toth, he wanted to meet his father. Now that he met him, it seemed the only emotion he could feel was anger. It had mildly shocked him when he realized that he felt no hatred inside him, although he had been raised to hate him.

Dawn squeezed her boyfriend's arms as he dropped them from around her and followed her into the dining room. She couldn't help but wonder how her sister was making it and how the Scoobies would take the news. With a small sigh, she sank into the chair that Connor had pulled out for her.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Buffy was mildly surprised to find the trip to LA was longer than the trip home. Maybe because she didn't stop any, she only drove. She pulled up to her home with an even sadder disposition than when she left. With a heavy sigh, she pushed the door open.

The usually full living room was barren except for Spike sleeping on the couch. At the sound of the front door closing, he sat up. The blonde vampire took in the Slayer's fallen face and knew that the Bit had asked to stay, just as they had all feared. But as he looked harder, he could see that there was more than that lurking behind the Slayer's eyes.

"I'll call Xander, Anya, and Giles," Spike mumbled, "you go wake the witches." Buffy nodded.

"Yeah," Buffy agreed as she walked toward the stairs. As she mounted the top, Spike heard her murmur. "Don't want to have to repeat this twice..."

_Never Will You Be Alone_

As Dawn pulled back the covers to go to bed, Connor appeared in her room. Angel and Cordelia had long returned to their respective bedrooms. The excitement of the day was baring down on all of them.

"Do you regret staying?" Connor asked. Dawn blinked before letting the cover slip from her hand.

"No, I don't. I'm just worried. I guess." Connor sank down onto the bed while Dawn flopped down. "It's just what if someone manages to separate us anyway?" Connor rolled onto his side to face her.

"I won't let them," he vowed, pulling his girlfriend into his arms. "You're mine." Dawn giggled lightly, despite her sour mood. Connor smiled and pulled away from her just enough to look down at her face. "Like that idea?"

"Yeah," Dawn admitted, "just never imagined you to be the possessive type." Connor smiled bashfully.

"Bad thing?" He asked.

"Depending on the situation. Like earlier today in the training room," Dawn glared lightly at him. Connor rubbed the back of his neck. "Ripping my sister apart is not an option. But yeah," Dawn rolled over so that she was on top of him. She laid her upper body on his chest. "It is kind of cute."

"Cute?" Connor repeated, disbelievingly. He was rewarded with a small giggle.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

The Scoobies gathered in the Summers living room. All were looking to Buffy for an explation. Buffy sighed.

"It seems that the Oracles left a lot out. A prophecy involves Dawn and Connor, the other person that fell through the portal with her." Buffy clarified, leaving out the fact that Connor was Angel's biological son. She rubbed her forehead as she fought to remember what Dawn had read. "I can't recall the first of it, but it was dire enough that if Dawn didn't stay with him the world would know true pain and fear. The First would rise with him at the commanding lines."

Buffy looked at each face in the room and stopped on Anya's surprised one. Her eyes held more knowledge on the matter.

"What do you know?" Buffy asked as she stared at her friend and the ex-vengance demon. Anya sighed.

"I've heard of this prophecy before. I was with one of the seers when he wrote it." Anya admitted. Her admission left all in the room to wonder at just how old Anya was. "There's another prophecy that has to come to pass before this one can be in the clear. Connor, as you call him, has to kill a very powerful demon by the name of Sahjhan."

"What was the call by the seer?" Willow asked. Anya frowned.

"The Destroyer. When I asked the seer of the name, he said that the name was given to the boy in Quor'Toth." Anya's voice was quiet and low. "The dimension itself is a very frightening place, but the seer spoke of the boy as if he were Quor'Toth's most frightening resident."

"Why?" Xander asked, fearing the direction of this conversation. Connor was the Destroyer and the person Dawn had brought to earth. _'Most frightening resident.'_ Kept repeating in his head.

"Because it is said that his strength rivals the Slayer if not stronger." Anya informed, looking away from the rest of the group.


	17. The Guide

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Seventeen-The Guide**

Connor was waiting in the living room for Dawn to get out of the shower when Angel walked into it. For a moment, they awkwardly stared at one another.

"I was just, uh, we're going portalling for a demon tonight. I was wondering if you wanted to come.." Connor felt mild amusement as he looked up at his father stumbling over his words. "Dawn could stay here and hang out with Cordelia and Harmony."

"No way. I'm going with." Dawn said as she walked back into the living room, towel drying her long hair. "There's no way I'm missing out." Angel smiled at the regular Summers girl answer.

"Never one to miss out on the action." Angel muttered much to Connor's amusement. _'So much like Buffy...'_ Angel thought with a small shake of his head. _'But yet...so different.'_

"Alright," Connor spoke. Angel looked at him. "I'm going then." The teenager smirked over at his girlfriend. "If only to keep you from getting kidnapped or something. It's Tuesday you know." Dawn huffed and smacked his arm.

"Should have never told you that..." She grumbled. Angel raised his eyebrows while Connor laughed at his girlfriend's pouty expression. "It's just a concidence honestly!" A still confused Angel simply shook his head and dismissed the matter.

"We're going to leave out at ten tonight." Angel called back as he left the teens to their defenses.

"Awesome, no curfew." He overhead. A small chuckled rose from his throat. _'Definately Buffy's sister..'_He thought as he entered his office.

"So is Dawn going to hang with us or go with you guys?" Cordelia asked from her seat on the black leather couch.

"She's going with us." Angel smiled as cordelia snapped her fingers.

"Darn, I was looking forward to someone new to shop with!" Angel laughed. "What?" Cordelia asked, afronted. "It's not like I'm awful to shop with!"

"No you just run us ragged." Fred interjected as she stepped into Angel's office. "Here's what I found on the demon last night. It's not looking very good..." Fred seated herself on the edge of Angel's desk and talked while he read the file. "The only way to kill this type of demon and ensure that it remains dead with by taking off it's head." Angel raised an eyebrow. "Here's where it gets sticky though. It had posion scales coating its arms and legs as well as it's neck."

"Does Gunn know about this?" Angel asked, cursing himself for nearly adding Wesley. Fred nodded.

"He was kind of there when I researched it," she admitted. "I think the kids should know about it too...seeing as they're still going."

"Oh no, they aren't!" Angel protested. Cordelia stood from the couch with a wide stretch and looked at Angel. The vampire gulped lightly as he recongized the look on her face.

"Connor is quick enough to avoid any attack and Dawn is fast enough to side step. I think they'll be fine." Cordelia snarked. "Telling them not to go will only make them want to go more." Fred attempted to supress a grin as Angel bowed his head slightly.

_'Putty meet Angel.'_ Fred thought. _'You'll get along just fine.'_

_Never Will You Be Alone_

"Good thing he's on our side then," Xander finally spoke, breaking the silence. Everyone else couldn't help but agree. Buffy sighed and sank onto the couch next to Tara and Willow.

"Yeah, but that's not what bothers me." Buffy rubbed her temples. "Dawn is only staying the summer with him. What happens when school starts? She'll have to come back here. They'll be miles apart."

"Hopefully, Angel will be willing to step up to the plate then." Every eye turned to Spike in confusion. The blonde vampire sighed. "How do you think Peaches knew to call you when Dawn showed up in LA? How do you think he even knew she was missing?"

"You called." Buffy realized. Spike nodded.

"He told me that the Oracles spoke to him the night Dawn disappeared as well. They said 'She will be his anchor, but you will be his guide.' Angel is to guide him through the separation, I think." Everyone stared at Spike. All wore various expression of shock. Spike huffed. "What? I have a brain, ya know...bloody wankers.."

* * *

_**I would really love to know what you guys thought of the story so far. **_


	18. So Alike

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Eighteen-So Alike**

"Fred, you go with Gunn. Dawn, you go with Connor." Angel commanded. Dawn turned to him just as Connor started to walk away.

"And what? Let you face this demon alone?" Dawn protested. The remaining three that had moved to follow his orders turned around at Dawn's words. Gunn attempted to suppress a smile as he did so. Angel suppressed a small smile at the youngest Summers girl. For a moment as he looked at her, he saw Buffy. _'So alike...' _He thought sadly. "I'm sorry, but you don't get to do that! You are not immune to toxins. You are not invincible. "

_"Demons and vampires alike will be attracted to their blood, mainly Dawn's blood. The power the scent gives off is like a magnet." _Wesley had said just before leaving his office. The warning had been departed with slightly cold eyes. Angel looked over at Fred and Gunn before looking back toward his son and Buffy's sister. As he looked at the gentle smile Dawn gave Connor after he whispered something to her, Angel made his decision. Fred had Illyria on her side and she also had Gunn to protect her.

"Fine," he consented. Dawn smiled. "I'll go with Connor and you." He had expected her smile to fall, but it held. She only cast a worried glance to Fred. The timid looking girl winked at Dawn before her hair and eyes turned an icy blue. Dawn's mouth fell open before she recovered quickly. She shrugged and then gave Illyria the thumbs up. The blue haired version of Fred tilted her head. Angel caught Connor's small smile as he laid his arm over Dawn's shoulders and steering her toward the path.

Dawn smiled and wrapped her arm around Connor's waist. For a moment, Dawn could pretend that they were a normal couple taking a walk on a starry night in LA. The weight of the weapon in her hand brought her back. They could never be a normal couple. Not really. The initals in their wrists weren't a lovers tattoo. They were brands. Dawn looked over at her boyfriend. _'Despite knowing all of that...I'd still want to be with him..'_ Dawn thought.

Connor could feel her expressive green eyes on him as he looked ahead. His senses were alert and his nerve endings were humming from her contact. He could also feel his father's eyes on him every once and a while. The tension he felt was still there. Despite Dawn telling him he could judge Angel for himself, her words were what he held onto: _"He's a good man." _They were the only thing that kept him from truly hating his father. Her words that night in the inn had brought to question some of the things Holtz had told him. Then when he had learned of Angel's attack against her and her ability to forgive him for it, it had only concreted that idea a little more. She believed in the goodness of his father. Connor looked down and met her green eyes. She blushed and smiled sheepishly at him. He returned it and squeezed her shoulders._ 'If someone so important to me could find good in a man that attacked her, then I can at least give him the benefit of the doubt and open my mind a little more...' _He thought. Just as he looked away from her, an awful smell assaulted his nose.

Angel was aware of the smell seconds after his son. He cast a wary glance to Dawn and knew that it would be several minutes before the odor of the demon reached her. Angel moved in the direction of the smell, but stopped when Connor didn't follow. He glanced over his shoulder to see his son, torn. A small smile stretched across his lips as he watched him._ 'He wants so badly to follow, but is concerned with Dawn's safety..' _He realized.

While waiting for Connor to decide, the demon spotted Angel. With a roar, the demon charged. Dawn jumped at the sudden noise before tightening her grip on the handle. Connor breathed out through his mouth to calm himself.

_'You've seen her in action. You've trained her. She will be okay.' _He reassured himself as the demon swung at his father. The demon stumbled as Angel punched the large demon in the gut. The demon snarled and batted Angel out of the way. Connor moved to protect his girlfriend only to see that she had moved a head of him. He jumped into the battle as he watched Dawn duck the large demon's fist and brought her axe down across the much larger demon's neck. It roared in pain as the axe nicked away three of its scales and tore into the hide. She danced away from his arm while Connor brought his sword on the other side. His swung rang much more purchase than hers, but not enough to kill it._ 'One more swing,' _Connor estimated as he dodged the rather large arm being swung toward him. His eyes widened in horror as Dawn jumped onto the things back and hooked her axe around the remaining piece of the demon's neck. She kicked away from the demon's back just as his arm swung around to hit her. Its head was severed from its neck with a sickening squish. Dawn landed on the balls of her feet and smiled over at her boyfriend. Connor smiled back and moved to kiss her. Just as his lips were about to meet hers, Dawn's eyes widened in horror.

"Angel!" Dawn exclaimed as she sidestepped her confused boyfriend and ran toward the fallen vampire. His breaths were coming out in short pants. It was then that Dawn knew. The toxins had infected his blood stream. She bit into her lip._ 'He had drank the blood of a slayer the last time he was posioned. Her blood is in me as well as the Key...' _Angel's eyes widened as Dawn drew a small dagger from her shoe. He shook his head rapidly as he realized what she was going to do. Connor reached her side just as Dawn slid the knife over her wrist.

"Dawn what are you-" Connor moved to grab her wrist only to be lightly pushed away. As he stumbled a little backward, she looked at him. Her green eyes were pleading. _'I can't...'_ His eyes flicked to his fallen father and the way his chest shuddered. He was dying. Connor closed his eyes and sank down onto the ground beside his girlfriend.

"Drink." Dawn commanded. Angel shook his head. "You stubborn ass! You won't kill me." Dawn's hand shot out and pryed his mouth open. She frowned as she realized that he wasn't even fighting her. _'He's too weak already..'_ She placed her wrist over his mouth and worked her hand.

Connor could only stare in shock as he watched his girlfriend sacrifice her blood for his father. Even though every bone in his body screamed for him to stop her, he couldn't. He knew his father was dying of posioning. Somewhere in him, he was hoping that what Dawn was doing could save him.

Dawn winced as his fang extended into her wrist. She closed her eyes. The very face he now wore had been the one Angelus had when he had attempted to grab her. It would unnerve her and make her stop.

Connor's brown eyes darted in between his girlfriend and father. Angel had long ago slipped into what Dawn had called 'fang face'. Dawn's eyes were closed tightly and he could smell her fear, but still she didn't pull away. His respect for her grow even more.

"Stop when you can move your hands," Dawn commanded, no trace of fear in her voice.

Angel was struggling with the demon inside of him, with Angelus. He hadn't fed from a person since Buffy. He could hear Angelus whispering for him to keep going, keeping taking what she so willingly gave. _'Willingly..'_ Angel thought, slowly coming back. _'Willingly gives..' _He pulled away from her wrist with a jerk. He could hear the near steady drum of her pulse and smell the fear in the air. His face slowly slid back to normal while Dawn opened her eyes.

Dawn stood to her feet and fought off the dizziness for Connor's sake. Connor stood beside her. She bent and lifted one of Angel's arms to her shoulder. The weak vampire wanted to scream and curse at the girl lifting him. Instead, he silently did it._ 'You stupid girl! You could have died! Don't you see that? I could have killed you! Let Connor carry me and sit the fuck down! You've lost too much!' _

"Help me carry him, Connor," she directed. Connor nodded and took most of Angel's weight onto his shoulder. With her free hand, Dawn pulled Angel's cell phone from his pocket and found Gunn in the contacts. "We found the demon," Dawn said upon his answer. "We're taking Angel back to the hotel." A pause. "Yes, he did. He'll be fine." Another pause. "I'll explain at the hotel." With that, Dawn clicked the phone shut and slipped it right back into his father's jacket.

Connor was still in shock by what he had seen his girlfriend do for the man they were laying on the couch in the living room that he almost missed what his father croaked.

"Catch her," he turned in time to see Dawn falling. He wrapped his arms around her waist as Cordelia and Harmony rushed over to Angel.

* * *

:D I'm so happy people are following and have this story on their favorites! Thank you, **LENORE123**, **Kitten-KC, dontcare2122,** and** lovetohate14. **


	19. Grief

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Nineteen-Grief**

Too say that Connor was angry was an understatement. He didn't know who he was more angry at Dawn or his father. Connor stared down at his girlfriend's sleeping form and sank down onto the bed. He buried his face into his hands.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Buffy knew that something was up when the phone didn't ring. She was pacing back and forth on the carpet. _'She said that she would call at night around nine. It's past nine.' _She glanced at the clock on the wall._ 'It's eleven-thirty. The phone still hasn't rang..' _Worry was gnawing at her stomach. Finally, the phone rang.

"Why haven't you-" Buffy started.

_ "Buffy, it's Cordelia."_ Cordelia cut off Buffy rant. Buffy sank against the wall.

"Is Dawn alright?" Her voice sounded small and weak. The question brought Spike into the room.

_"She's lost a lot of blood..." _Cordelia seemed reluctant to depart the next piece of information. A woosh of air indicated her sigh._ "Connor says that Angel was posioned by the demon they faced tonight." _Buffy's blood ran cold.

_'No. No. No...' _Buffy chanted mentally, fearing the worst. Spike's body tensed as he caught the implications of the ex-cheerleader's words. Unlike Buffy, he wasn't thinking of Angel. He was thinking of the Bit.

"Please tell me she didn't..." Buffy whispered. She could feel Spike's worried and slightly angry eyes on her. He could hear every word.

_"Dawn...forced him to drink from her. Connor said that when they reached him he was too weak to fight her suggestion off. He was too weak to fight her off." _Buffy placed her hand over her heart as she listened to Cordelia. _"We don't know how much he took. She seemed fine walking into the hotel and laying him on the couch. She fainted right after they laid him down." _There was a pause on the other line._ "Connor's only been out once to see if his father's still awake." _

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Cordelia held the phone in an iron grip. She glanced toward the stairs and then back to Angel. She had stayed by his side and visited Dawn's room twice. Her poor son looked worse for wear each time she saw him. Cordelia knew that he was blaming himself._ 'Once this conversation with Buffy is over,' _she decided,_ 'I'm going to have a talk with him.' _

"What concerns us, Buffy, is why she thought her blood would stop the toxins." Cordelia sighed. "As far as we know her blood is human." The woman missed Angel shaking his head. Fred and Gunn tilted their own.

"It tasted too good..." Angel croaked. "Addicting..just like Wesley warned.." He was vaguely aware of the crunch of wood upstairs.

Connor removed his shaking, bleeding hand from the wall. He could see clear to the other side and into the empty, dark room. His chest heaved in his anger. Rationality was losing to the power of his rage.

"He's a good man. He's a good man! That good man almost drained you dry!" Connor ranted. His voice became more powerful near the end. Once more, his fist made another small window into the dark room.

Angel bowed his head as he listened to his son's rage.

"I should have been able to stop...I wanted too, but he didn't." Angel buried his head into his hands and tugged at his hair in the pass.

_"It's not," _Buffy disagreed. Cordelia's eyes widened slightly at the admission before putting the phone on speaker. Gunn and Fred were still sitting on the couch and Cordelia was sure that Connor could hear what was being said from upstairs. _"Dawn is the Key, as I'm sure you know. It's in her blood. Aside from that, she has the blood of a Slayer in her." _Silence fell over the room as they considered the information._ "The last time Angel was posioned, he nearly drained me completely.." _

Buffy's whispered admission reached Connor's ears. _'Nearly drained dry...' _He thought as he stared down at her peaceful face. He reached forward and ran his finger down her warm cheek. Raw anger at her decision filled him. _'She knew what was at stake!'_ He realized. With an aggravated roar he ripped the vase up from the nightstand and hurled it out the open door. It crashed against the opposite wall. The satsifying shatter did nothing to curb his anger.

Angel sighed as his son destroyed things in Dawn's room._ 'Or should I say their room?' _Angel wondered. It was common knowledge to the vampire and Cordelia that Dawn and Connor had taken to sharing beds._ 'Now only one is in that bed. The other is so angry he's destroying their room...all because of me..' _Angel moved to lift his mug to his mouth only to find it empty.Gunn extended another warm mug of blood to him. Angel smiled and took it from his friend. He looked upward to see Cordelia staring at him while she was on the phone.

"Yes, he's awake." Buffy asked to speak to him. Her tone was vicious and frightened. "No, I don't think that would be a good idea." Another pause. Buffy's defeated sigh came over the line.

_ "Can you have him call me when he feels better?"_ Buffy asked. Cordelia nodded.

"Will do." That was their goodbye. Cordelia hung up and rushed upstairs. Angel furrowed his brow at her sudden departure. Fred bit into her bottom lip as she stared at her friend.

"Dawn still hasn't woke up..." She whispered what he already knew. "Connor's with her right now. He's blaming himself, Angel...He's really, really angry." Angel bowed his head. "On the ups, we found out something really cool." Angel didn't look up. "Dawn heals just as fast as Buffy."

Cordelia leaned against the door frame and watched her son pace harder. Angel being awake only increased his anger.

"Why hasn't she woke up yet?" He demanded of Cordelia. The older woman sighed and walked further into the room.

"I don't know, Connor." She sat down on the side of the bed and gently pushed Dawn's fallen hair out of her face. "She will wake up, son." Connor stopped.

"Why do you call me that?" He asked. "Son?" Cordelia sighed.

"I'm not your birth mother, I know that." Cordelia stood and put her hands on his shoulders. "But it's not blood that makes me a mother, it's in here." She touched his chest lightly. "It's the feeling. I think of you as my son because I took care of you. I bonded with you. I love you." Cordelia gasped lightly as Connor pulled her into a tight hug. She smiled and laid her own hands on his back. "And I don't like to see you hurting like this.." She ran her hand through his hair.

"Thank you." Cordelia ran soothing circles on his back. She understood._ 'He can't say it yet, because he doesn't know me. He doesn't feel that for me. Not yet anyway..'_ Throughout the mother and son bonding moment, Dawn still lay sleeping and Angel still sat in grief downstairs. She could feel the warm of his tears as they soaked into her shirt. _'My poor baby...'_ She thought.

Angel closed his eyes as the sound of his son's tears reached him. The smell of the salt from them nearly sickened him when he knew that he was the cause. Dawn was laying in that bed because of him. Because he couldn't find the restraint in him to stop sooner. _'Dawn is so much more like Buffy than either of them realize. Both nearly gave their lives so that I could live. Buffy loved me. I know why she did it. But Dawn? She loves my son. So why?' _Angel knew. Theories bounced around uselessly in his head as his grip tightened on the mug in his hands. None of his questions would be answered until Dawn woke up.


	20. A New Big Bad

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Twenty-A New Big Bad**

"I suppose I should have known better..." Dawn mumbled as she sat up. Her green eyes widened as she noticed fields of green surrounded her. Small yellow dandelions were scattered throughout the field. A small smile drifted onto her lips. While they were not her favorite flower, she couldn't deny the wonder the small objects gave way. They developed from such an easily scattered object, the very thing children all around the world believed could grant wishes. Dawn let her hand brush a small flower. She jerked as a tinkling laugh filled the field. "Who's there?" She asked suspiciously, looking around for something that would double as a weapon. The entire field was clear and stretched on for miles. Dawn could only watch as the owner of the musical laugh slowly appeared before her in a wave of blinding light.

"I am the youngest Oracle." She greeted. "You, my dear, are Dawn Summers, the Key." Dawn nodded and accepted the Oracle's hand. The small body showed immense strength as she pulled the teenager to her feet.

"Why am I here?" Dawn asked. The Oracle's shining face smiled.

"You are here to learn your history and of the powers you possess." Dawn enjoyed that the youngest Oracle held no cyrptic nature as they walked across the field. A small river graced them. Like the Oracle, the water glowed. Dawn cast a hesitant look into the river. Gently, the Oracle nudged her. "Go on." She commanded gently. "It will not hurt." Dawn stepped inside and felt the water run over her.

As quickly as she had stepped into the waters, she came out in a hallway like area. Her eyes widened as she realized that she was suspended in mid air standing before waterlike windows.

"Those are the portals," a deep male voice sounded. Dawn turned around quickly to face another glowing body. "I am father Oracle. I am too teach you how to travel through these partols undetected. It will not take long." Unlike the youngest Oracle, the father seemed to be stuffy and proper-like Giles. Dawn suppressed a small smile as the man placed a hand onto her shoulder. Her eyes widened as white fell over her vision. Knowledge pulsed around her body and mind before he let go. "Now try." He commanded. "At any moment you wish to become visible, simply concentrate on your solid form." He instructed lightly before shoving her into a dark red portal. Dawn's eyes widened in horror as she looked around.

The skies of the portal she had been rudely shoved in was blood red. Screams rippled through the air and rivers were red. Dawn shuddered with fear but continued to look._ 'I want out.' _Dawn thought as she looked around. Nothing happened. A small sigh escaped her. She closed her eyes and focused on the white energy inside of her. Very slowly, she began to materalize back into the suspended hallway. A hand closed on her shoulder making her jump. She turned to see the father Oracle staring at her.

"You did well. Now, your last will be the mother Oracle. She will teach you how to harness your powers in protection." The Oracle drawled. "She will be waiting in the field you arrived in." Dawn nodded, then gasped sharply as she was once again left alone. With a small shudder, she focused on the beautiful field she had arrived in. When she opened her eyes once more, she was in front of the another glowing being.

"Mother Oracle?" Dawn asked. The woman nodded with a blinding smile.

"We will begin." Mother Oracle's statement was her only warning before an arrow was hurled her way. Dawn gasped and narrowly dodged being impaled. It nicked her arm and drew blood.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Connor's eyes widened in horror as a long cut ripped across Dawn's arm. He stumbled to the door.

"Dad!" He screamed.

Angel's head snapped up at Connor's panicked scream. Cordelia and Angel were the first ones standing. Fred and Gunn soon followed the hurrying couple up the stairs. When they arrived, Connor was pointing toward Dawn's bleeding arm. Fred darted out of the room to grab the first aid kit.

"What happened?" Angel asked his pale son. Connor shook his head.

"I don't know!" He exclaimed. "One minute she was sleeping fine and then...that." He pointed to the deep wound.

"Do you think she could be trapped in another dimension?" Cordelia asked Angel as he knelt down next to Dawn. Mentally, he took deep breaths as he attempted to fight the urge to sink his teeth into her again. He shook his head and stood.

"Her body would be there too." Angel disagreed. He walked from the room.

"Where are you going?" Cordelia called after him.

"The smell of her blood probably became too much.." Connor drawled.

"To call Willow." Angel answered, attempting to ignore Connor's stinging remark.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Dawn hissed as she dodged each arrow thrown at her. The Oracle's aim was perfect, but Dawn was quicker. While the Oracle was impressed with her speed, it wouldn't be enough. Dawn's eyes widened as arrows rose from the ground and launched at her in perfect harmony. A small shout escaped her as the energy inside of her jerked from her body. The arrows seemed to catch fire before burning into less than ash. The Oracle beamed at her.

"Good. Again," the Oracle renewed her assualt. Dawn laughed lightly at the familiar phrase. Not for the first time, she thought of Connor. As the arrows rushed toward her, Dawn focused her energy again. This time in the form of a bubble around her. She felt slight pressure against her psyche. She opened her eyes. The arrows hung suspended in the air in front of her. With a small tilt of her head, she wondered if she could sent them back. With a small amount of focus, she pushed them back toward the Oracle, who easily materialized out of the way. Dawn let her sheild fall as she reappeared. "Better. There is one more trick you must accomplish." Dummies popped from the ground. "Protect them and yourself." Dawn's eyes widened as arrows rained toward both her and the dummies. She focused all of her energy into a large bubble and turned the arrows to flame. Then she willed the dummies to move. Her eyes widened as they charged toward the Oracle. They were easily discarded before reaching her. "That is a good thought process..." The Oracle complimented. "Try to do that and protect them from my attacks." Dawn sighed and readied herself.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Connor held Dawn's hand tightly in his own. His eyes never left her even after Fred bandaged her arm. Her healing process seemed to have slowed wherever she was. Connor could hear Angel on the phone with a Willow. He prayed that whomever she was, she would know what to do.

Beads of sweat had long ago built on Dawn's body. Now, she seemed to be panting for air. Cordelia's hand fell onto her son's shoulder and gave him a comforting squeeze. Connor didn't have the energy in him to smile back at his mother. He hated the feelings running through him. _'I feel like I won't be whole without her.'_ For someone so used to his independence the thought sickened him, but at the same time, elated him. Silenty, he assumed that it was the same for Dawn.

"Wherever she is..." Gunn whistled, "they sure are working her hard..." Connor glared. Gunn held his hands up. "I'm just saying. She's proving her strength in that place. Her durability. You may not like it, but I think she's meant to be there."

"That's what Willow said too..." Angel spoke suddenly making everyone but Connor and Dawn jump. "We have to wait it out." Connor wanted to scream that he was tired of waiting, that he wanted her back now. Instead, he squeezed her hand tighter and laid his head down on their joined hands.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Dawn closed her eyes as the arrows shot back at the Oracle like before. Her troops charged, but this time she focused on creating a small encasement around them and herself. The dummies' ability to slide past it's enemies and slice through would not be restricted by her shield. While she figured this, she knew that the immitations would be no match for the Oracle. As the Oracle sliced through the competition, Dawn thought of what she did know. _'I know how to make inanimate objects move to my will. I know how to sheild myself and others. I know how to move about undetected and enter dimensions with ease.' _

"I would like to try to fight while keeping this up." Dawn spoke finally, understanding just what the Oracles were doing. The female Oracle smiled. "Make your own army."

_Never Will You Be Alone_

_"Something big is coming, Angel," _the dark vampire could still hear Willow say, _"I can feel it. Whatever this is the Oracles are going to need everything we can offer." _He sighed and leaned against wall. Every member of his team were gathered in Dawn's room waiting for the sixteen year old to wake up. Vaguely, he wondered just what it was the Oracles needed Dawn for. Angel could see the wheels moving in Connor's head as he attempted to think of what this big evil was and how it involved Dawn personally.

"The Oracles are training her." Cordelia spoke, her voice had an airy quality. "Oh, yeah, thanks. You just now decide to tell us!" She exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air. Angel smiled. Connor tilted his head in confusion. Cordelia smiled gently. "The Oracles send me messages." She explained softly. "Whenever they want too." Connor nodded once and turned his eyes back to his girlfriend.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Dawn dodged an attack from an actual demon. His sword nicked the end of her hair, cutting it. Dawn growled. Her own shield had fallen once or twice, but those around her army remained strong. Dawn kicked the demon away and reinforced her own. She stepped over the demon and dodged an incoming demon's swing. An arrow sliced through the air, driving through the demon's heart. Dawn smiled and fought off those around her. She could now make her own army protect her in tatum to themselves. _'For wooden objects, they're alright.'_ Dawn thought with a small laugh as she side stepped each attack and commanded two wooden men in her army to fight beside her. They sliced through the two demons approaching from behind and fought off those around her while she rushed the front.

Father Oracle and the youngest Oracle were watching through their mystical screen. Both Oracles were impressed with the Key's wit and quick learning. They had cursed the monks for sending the Key to the Slayer in a human body, but now they saw the wisdom in that move. The human body had became a powerful vessel.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

"I know you're worried about the Bit, Slayer, but you can't just rush off to LA every time she faints or gets into trouble. Trust the Bit to take care of her self. Trust Angel to help her." Spike had a hold of Buffy's arm on the porch. She had been bound and determined to go to LA when Angel had called saying Dawn had been injured by an unknown force. That little bit of information couple with Willow's suspicion that something big was coming this way made her all the more determined.

"She's my sister, Spike," Buffy growled, as if that explained everything. Despite the glare that he had been pinned with, Spike did not flinch or drop her arm.

"Yes, she is, but you have to trust her to take care of herself. Red said there was a reason Dawn is wherever she is and that she will wake up. Trust in Red, trust in Bit, and trust in the Poof. You're going to let the Bit go at some point." Buffy sighed and dropped the bag to the porch floor. "Do what you can here. Help Red find out what's coming and train so you can be prepared for it."

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Dawn remained tense as the Oracle's army of demons fell. She waited, weapon at the ready. Her command held the wooden army taunt and waiting. The Oracle rewarded Dawn with a musical laugh.

"I believe you are ready." The Oracle consented. Dawn loosened her stance after a few minutes and dropped her shield and her command from her makeshift army. "A great evil will be upon you and yours soon. It will be worse than the First and more dangerous than anything your sister has ever faced and they will be after you." The Oracle stressed. "Tell them. Train and be ready." The Mother Oracle kissed Dawn's forehead.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

With a hurried gasp, Dawn shot up into a sitting position. Her eyes widened at the filled room, before her vision was cut off by Connor's broad shoulder. His arms were wrapped tightly around her waist and his head was buried in her shoulder. Dawn watched as the Fang gang cleared from the room slowly and shut the door behind them gently.

A startled gasp escaped her lips as Connor slammed her body down onto the bed and pinned her hands above her head. She stared up into his angry eyes. His lips crashed to hers, hard and demanding.

"Don't you ever, ever do that again," he hissed with every bruising kiss. With every punishing kiss, Dawn attempted to calm him with gentle ones of her own. Finally, after five more kisses, Connor calmed down. He moved his head to rest on her chest. Dawn ran her hand through his hair. "Don't ever go where I can't follow.." He pleaded. The pained quality of his tone made her heart hurt.

"I'm sorry," Dawn whispered, her voice held a choked quality. The wieght of what the Oracles had told her pressed heavily on her mind. _"After you.." _The Mother Oracle had said. _'From what she said, this new evil is going to be mega-sized...and...they are going to attack because of me...' _Connor lifted his head from her chest and propped his body weight on his elbows at her apology. Tears were beading in the corner of her eyes. Connor frowned and leaned down. Her mouth fell open gently as Connor kissed her eyelids.

"Don't cry, baby..." He whispered, before kissing his way down to her lips. "I didn't mean to scare you." Dawn shook her head and pushed against his chest. Hurt filled his brown eyes.

"No, you didn't." She leaned upward and pecked his lips for good measure. When she pulled away, she looked into his confused brown eyes. "This new evil, Connor, it's after me. It wants me." A small dose of fear escaped her. Connor rolled from above her and pulled her into his arms just as his father and the Fang gang came back through the door.

"We won't let it have you." Connor reassured. His father nodded. Dawn looked around. Fred was smiling gently.

"Damn straight we won't," Gunn said, punching his curled fist into his open hand. Cordelia nodded.

"If it helps matters, I don't think the Oracles want them to have me either." Dawn mumbled. "This evil is bigger than the First and more powerful." The seriousness of the situation seemed to hit home for Angel. He sank down onto the end of the bed. "It's like the major Big Bad. Way bigger than anything Buffy has ever faced..."

"Did they tell you a time?" Angel asked, thinking of training routines he could put his team through. Dawn shook her head.

"They only said it would be upon us soon. To train and be ready when the time comes..." A small sigh escaped her lips. "And we have to tell Buffy..." A small shudder rippled down Angel's spine. Dawn laughed as she caught his expression. Silently, she prayed that Spike would be able to talk some sense into her sister when she learned what this new Big Bad was after. A small laugh escaped her lips, causing everyone to look at her. "Spike's not going to like something taking his nickname." Confusion swept over everyone but Angel's face while the dark vampire laughed.

"I suppose he isn't."

* * *

(A/N) Thank you, **JessJogiaWinchesterSnape** for following this story. I'm sorry to all of you that have been following this story. My internet has been down. I am currently sitting in Subway, using their wifi. I do not know when my internet will be back up. :(


	21. Moving On

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Twenty One-Moving On**

After Dawn made the phone call, Connor and she had gathered in their bedroom. His worried brown eyes followed her from his position on the bed as she paced the small area of carpet at the end of their bed.

"You're going to fall through the floor if you keep that up." Dawn smiled gently at the clever attempt at humor. For his benefit, she stopped in the middle. He opened his arms to her. Dawn crossed the floor and fell onto the bed, into his arms. The force of her body against his knocked him back into a laying position. He smiled lightly. Connor held her tightly and kissed the top of her head.

"I'm just worried.." She mumbled into his chest. She could feel the rumble as he began to speak.

"I know, baby, I know," he whispered as his fingers ran through her hair. He frowned lightly as he caught sight of the uneven strands. Reality gripped him hard._ 'She could have died...' _Connor felt a small shock of annoyance flicker through him. Even when the Fang Gang gathered to talk of strategy and training times, Dawn hadn't told them just what she had went through. She had just sat on the floor near his legs nursing a coffee cup. "What happened up there?" He asked finally.

Dawn let out a small sigh and propped up on her elbow so that she could look at him while she spoke, "the Oracles were training me. First, they taught me how to become undetectable and how to enter dimensions without bleeding. Then, they taught me how essentially protect myself and those around me." A small blush graced her cheeks. Connor absentmindedly ran his thumb across the rosy skin. She smiled lightly before kissing his palm. As always, her touch sent shock waves through his body and ignited every inch of her body. "I kind of figured out how to manipulate objects to my will."

"Hm," Dawn tilted her head, "you'll have to show me that sometime.." He trailed off and pulled her toward him.

_'No matter how much we kiss,' _Dawn thought, _'it always feel like relief from drowning...' _Soon, her thoughts grew muddled the more and more they kissed.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

He was growing tired of waiting. For five thousand years, he had heard "be patient." Reprah was ready now! The large demon sighed. His armies were growing impatient and restless. They would be fighting among one another soon. They needed release. They needed blood-hers. He could already feel her blood giving him power. Reprah suppressed a moan.

"Soon..." He promised his soliders as they fought among themselves. "Very soon."

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Angel attempted to ignore the sounds coming from upstairs as he turned to his friends again. Fred and Gunn were looking at him expectantly while Cordelia wore a look of amusement. The vampire shook his head slighlty as he realized that he still expected to see Wesley pouring over books in an effort to find out whatever was coming. He sighed. The rouge demon hunter was probably doing just that right now, but not in the hotel. At his own apartment on the other side of town.

"All of us," he looked over at Fred, "will go through training. Illyria may give you power," Angel said to Fred, "but you need to learn to fight as a human being. You've been using her abilities too much. There's still no telling if she'll get tired of being on call and not in control."

"When will we start?" Gunn asked, not liking the conversation of Illyria taking possession of his love's body.

"Tomorrow morning, bright and early. I'm going to teach all of you how to use a sword. Consider it your first lesson."

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Dawn curled up against Connor's chest and looked up at him. He smiled gently down at her. Briefly, she wondered what would have happened to him, how he would have turned out, if she hadn't stumbled upon his campsite in Quor'Toth. _'He would have made it back here, somehow.' _Dawn knew. Her hand traced a small heart on the bare skin of his chest._ 'But what would have happened after?' _A small shiver of pleasure shot down her as his hand began running up and down her naked side. _'I'll think about that later...' _

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Angel groaned and smacked his head against the coffee table. Cordelia's laughter made him lift his head and glare. She smiled and winked at him.

"Poor baby," she cooed. "I do not envy you right now." Cordelia stood and sat her coffee cup down on the table Angel was currently using as a head rest. She sat down next to him. "But I can kind of understand why they're going at it like bunnies." Angel groaned again. Cordelia supressed laughter. "Think about it. If you were in Connor's shoes..."

"I would react the same way.." _If it were you... _He thought about adding. A small sigh escaped him. No matter how much he cared for Cordelia, Buffy would always be there in the forefront of his mind. Her beautiful green eyes accusing him. Angel found himself staring at the ex-cheerleader all over again.

In the silence of his office, Cordelia had admitted that her visions weren't affecting her as badly as they were in the past since Dawn's arrival. They were bareable. The pain was almost microscopic.

Cordelia turned her head toward him and smiled. Her brown eyes danced happily in tune with her smile. Angel returned it. _'Sometimes, the lines between friendship and romance get blurred with us.' _He thought. The first time Cordelia kissed him, he had pushed her away. Now, he wasn't so sure what he would do if she tried again._ 'Moving on...' _

"What?" Cordelia asked with a small tilt of her head. Her short blonde-brown hair fell with her head.

_'Would be so easy...' _He thought.

* * *

(A/N: Thank you, **Vixeth, ShinObi87,** and **Cosmos89** for following/favoriting this story. Reviews would be very welcomed.)


	22. Personal Demons

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Twenty Two-Personal Demons**

Dawn jumped as presistant knocks came from Connor and her bedroom door.

"What is that noise?" Connor groaned as he burrowed deeper into the covers. Dawn let out a small 'umph' as his arm became heavier.

"I believe that would be someone knocking," Dawn clarified.

"Kill them.." He groaned. Dawn laughed and rolled underneath the heavy arm so that she faced her boyfriend. She poked him in the side.

"It's our training coach." She whispered secretly. A still sleepy Connor couldn't help but smile softly at his girlfriend's childish antic. "If you don't wake up, he's going to come in here with cold water."

"We're not decent!" Connor hollered. "Give us a second." They waited for a moment. Where Dawn's ears failed her, Connor could hear his father spluttering. The only thing Dawn could hear were the sounds of a swift retreat.

"Well, you gave us long enough to get dressed." Dawn pipped as she slipped from underneath his arm. Connor propped up on one elbow and watched as she hurried threw on the discarded panties.

"Come back to bed," he half heartedly pleaded as he watched her dig through her drawer for a pair of sweat pants. He smiled slightly when a pair of his own slapped him on the chest. She looked back at him over her shoulder.

"He'll send Cordelia up if you don't hurry." Dawn said, spoke as she tossed him a T-shirt before slipped on the grey sweat pants she had found. She looked around the room for her fallen bra while Connor relunctantly slipped from bed and slipped the sweat pants over his bare legs. Dawn stopped herself from ogling and grabbed her bra from the lamp. A small blush touched her cheeks. "Why does it always end up in the weirdest of places..." She mumbled as she slipped it back on. "The first time we had sex, I found my bra on the atlers of some poor deer like thing in the inn..." Connor grinned as he slipped his own T-shirt over his chest. She returned to the dresser and pulled out one of his T-shirts. She tugged it over her head easily and grabbed the brush from the dresser just as Cordelia pushed open the door with a manicured hand over her eyes. Dawn and Connor couldn't help but laugh.

"We're decent, Ma. Don't worry," both women fell silent at the endearment that had slipped from Connor's lips so easily. Cordelia's face split into a blinding smile before the much taller teenager was engulfed in surprisingly strong arms. Dawn smiled softly at her boyfriend's shocked expression as he wrapped his arms around Cordelia's waist in an awkward hug. He squeezed lightly before Cordelia pulled away.

"Be in the training room in five..." She demanded lightly. As she turned to walk out, Dawn was certain she saw beads of moisture building in Cordelia's brown eyes._ 'High school Cordelia would have complained about being called a mom at such a young age.' _Dawn thought as she watched the door shut behind her. _'Thank God this Cordelia grew up.'_

"What just happened?" Connor turned to his girlfriend. Dawn smiled at the adorable look on her boyfriend's face before wrapping her own arms around his waist.

"You just called Cordelia mom." She spoke against his chest. Connor's arms wrapped around her waist and his cheek pressed against the top of her head.

"Think I should apologize?" He asked. Dawn shook her head.

"Not at all. It made her very happy," Dawn assured. She squeezed his waist one more time before letting go. In parting, she slapped him on his rear. "Let's get some shoes on and get down there before they sent the calvary to see why Mama Bear's crying." A small yelp escaped her as a sharp sting made itself known on her rear. She turned and glared at her attempting-to-look-innoncent boyfriend. "Watch it, buster."

"Believe me, I am." He smirked. Despite her small blush, a smile rose to her cheeks.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

"Umph!" Willow gasped as Buffy knocked her feet out from underneath her again. The Chosen One had insisted that every one be trained. _"Because you never knew if your magic is going to fail you." _The Slayer had told the small redhead when she had protested. Tara, who was training with Giles, understood the severity of the situation and had not complained. Briefly, the red head wondered her aggravation steamed from her inexperience in the field of fighting as she narrowly missed Buffy's fist and drove her knee into the unexpecting Slayer's stomach.

"Good," Buffy smiled. Willow's knee screamed in protest.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Angel and Connor were sparing together. Dawn and Cordelia were taking a break from their own training session. Cordelia's stomach and face hurt. The Seer looked over at the much younger girl. _'For someone so young, she's just as experience as Connor.' _

"Connor was the one who trained me." Dawn said suddenly. Cordelia looked over at her in surprise. "You kind of said that aloud."

"He trained you?" Cordelia's eyes were slightly wide as she caught the admission. Dawn nodded before taking a long swig of water.

"Quor'Toth wasn't as bad as he had made it out to be when we were in the woods, but...I think that he was protecting me from the worst of it by keeping me in the market place." Dawn's green eyes wandered to her boyfriend. The young warrior was holding his own fairly well against his father. A small swell of pride made her smile. "I'm sure he protected me from more than just the outside."

"But when you came here you were injured.." Cordelia murmured.

"We were attacked by a large amount of tunneller demons. Connor turned to check on me and gave the demon he had knocked away an opening." Dawn shuddered lightly at the memory.

"You jumped in the way." Dawn nodded at Cordelia's spot on assessment. The younger woman capped her water and set it on the table top while Cordelia looked at her with something similar to awe and garitude on her pretty face.

"Let's get back to work." Dawn said as she jumped down. Cordelia nodded and followed in the younger girl's footsteps. As they faced one another, Cordelia couldn't help but see the resemblance between the Slayer Angel loved and the young girl in front of her._ 'Right now, she looks so much like Buffy in game face.' _

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Dawn was easily fending off Cordelia's punches and kicks. Their fight looked more like a dance to the distracted Gunn and Fred. The two stopped for a moment to watch as the ex-cheerleader and their newest friend went head to head. With an easy twist of her body, Dawn had Cordelia on the ground. The younger girl held the older in place with her foot.

"This is starting to be a little unfair..." Cordelia complained. Dawn pulled the older woman up. The comment seemed to spark a hidden anger within Dawn.

"Then get better." Angel stopped and looked toward the younger girl. The vampire was momentarily shocked to hear such a blunt statement come from her. Angel opened his mouth to scold the younger woman when a fist caught him in the side of the jaw. He staggered back and looked toward his son, who shrugged with a sheepish smile. Angel smiled slightly and shoved him lightly. Cordelia's mouth fell open slightly. "This thing isn't going to hold back on a weaker opponent. The Oracles sure didn't hold anything back when training me. This thing is going to force us to face the things we've been running from." She looked out at all of them. "Maybe that's why they forced me to face my own demons during the first meeting."

_** The waters slid over her running over her curves like a lover's carress. Dawn's eyes widened in horror as an image started to take shape: herself. The watery Dawn stared at the original. **_

_** "You're nothing." It hissed. "Your own sister doesn't love you, only tolerates you. Who could ever love you?"**_

_** 'Connor loves me..' Dawn promised herself as she attempted to tune out the cruel words. A playback of all the things she thought about herself. A cold laugh tore from the water-Dawn's lips. "Connor only loves you because he doesn't know of any other woman better. You think he would actually be with you if he had a choice? You're not even human! Just a fake imitation! You're worthless. Expendable. Why do you think Buffy didn't make it to the tower until it was too late? She wants you to die. You're nothing but a waste of space." **_

"Dawn? Are you okay?" Cordelia asked softly, her slender hand touched the younger girl's shoulder. The younger girl was clutching her shirt as if it were a lifeline. Her knuckles white. Connor crossed the room swiftly.

_ "Connor only loves you because he doesn't know of any other woman better. You think he would actually be with you if he had a choice?"_ Dawn shook her head roughly as if too shake a bad memory. _'The others about me and Buffy don't hurt anymore. Because I know they're wrong.' _

"Fine," she croaked. _'But Connor...it was the only demon I couldn't come to grips with. The doubt I feel when it comes to his love for me.' _Her voice rough and she still hadn't opened her eyes. She could sense Connor close to her. Her body burned with the need to reach out to him, to unload all of her doubts onto him. '_So many women out there he hasn't met, so many that are better. More pretty. More adventurous. More like Buffy.'_ Her green eyes shot open at that last thought. Wide with momentary horror, she didn't see Connor at first. When the blur finally settled, she saw his brown eyes staring worriedly back at her. Dawn took a ragged breath. "I'm not invincible against them for all the training the Oracles gave me. This new evil is going to pull out all the stops. Try to break us." Dawn looked around the room. Connor and Angel were still staring at her. Both brown eyes alight with worry. Gunn and Fred were listening. Cordelia was still gripping Dawn's shoulder as if afraid the young girl were suddenly going to break. "We can't let them. Come to grips with your personal demons. Talk to someone. Let it out and get help." _'Filthy little hypocrite.'_ Her mind snarled.

"Who says we have personal demons?" Gunn asked, defensively. The stocky black man suddenly didn't like the look in the dark headed beauty's green eyes. She smiled softly.

"Everyone has their personal demons. Even you, Charles Gunn. Personal demons could be guilt for something you could have done differently or doubts in yourself. It doesn't have to be a murder or something heinous." Dawn said, her eyes staring into the darker ones of Gunn. He fell silent underneath it. Everyone was quiet. "Maybe it would be best to deal with those first..."

_Never Will You Be Alone_

The room had slowly cleared out after Dawn's speech. Angel had lingered back. His mind filled with all of his own personal demons. The very same ones he had been running from for centuries._ 'How do you face so many demons without going insane?' _Angel wondered as he sank down into one of the hard chairs. He was so lost in his own thoughts that he failed to see Cordelia still in the room. Her amber colored eyes taking in the remorse that surrounded her friend.

_'Can't stand it anymore...' _She thought as she stepped forward.

"Angel?" She almost gasped at the look on his handsome face: pain. All of her restraint did nothing to stop her as she crossed the room and took the man into her arms. Angel's brown eyes widened at the embrace, but he was thankful. Dawn had said that they needed to talk it out with someone. He was grateful for the embrace, because now, he wouldn't have to look at Cordelia's face as he confessed of his crimes. He wouldn't have to look at her face when she realized that he was a monster.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Connor was watching his girlfriend carefully. The small dark headed love of his life had been staring at him since they entered their room. She would open her mouth as if to speak then close it quickly. It didn't take the young man long to realize that one of her personal demons involved him.

"Baby..." Connor spoke, his hands falling to her shoulders. He rubbed up and down her strengthing arms as he placed his forehead on hers. "Talk to me. What's wrong?"

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Fred stared as Gunn paced the length of the library. Even though they had went their separate ways once they left the training room, Gunn had found his way back to the southern woman. His dark eyes kept darting toward her then back toward the wall. She was patiently waiting for the fighter to make up his mind.

Gunn was struggling with admitting his personal demons to the one woman he trusted most. He was struggling because up until the squirt's powerful words, he hadn't even considered the fact that he still had his own demons. It was unsettling.

"You know," came the sweet southern drawl of his best friend, "I made my personal demons when I was trapped in Plyea." Gunn turned away from his angry pacing. The sweet southerner was going to own up to her own demons in order to soothe Gunn's fears about his. "The things I did to survive still haunt me. The men I seduced into caves, then killed for the packs they carried. I still see their surprised and horrified faces in my mind. Still hear their voices. Some were be angry at the trickery, others afraid. None of them ever got away.." Gunn shuddered as he listened. It wasn't the story that frightened him; it was the detached way in wich Fred was delievering the inner demon as she faced it.

Fred was reliving it.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

"If you had the chance to be with another woman, would you be?" Dawn's voice was soft and afraid. It tore at Connor's heart. "If you had the chance to find someone better? Someone more-"

"Stop right there," Connor commanded gently. His nose brushed hers as his lips touched hers. It was a gentle chaiste kiss. "No one in this world, in my mind, could be better than you." He wrapped his arms around his girlfriend's waist creating, what he was sure to be, an awkward position.

"Maybe because you don't know of any woman better..." She whispered. Connor's brown eyes widened. Dawn turned her own green eyes away. It took a moment for Connor to quell the anger growing inside of him. Someone had hurt his girl so much that she didn't think herself worthy. He guided Dawn's head back upward with his forefinger.

"I don't want to know of anyone better. You are all I need." Dawn stared into his gentle brown eyes before they flicked downward to their wrists. Connor cut off her protest. "I don't care about these.." He lifted their wrists to show the initials carved there. "I would love you anyway. I loved you before them and I love you now." He kissed the inside of her wrist. "In my mind, it simply says we belong to one another." He moved one hand to rest on the back on her neck. His lips brushed hers briefly, leaving the sixteen year old wanting more. "So no more worrying okay? Cause no matter what woman walks by me tomorrow, you're the only one I want." A small sigh escaped his lips as the doubt still lingered in Dawn's eyes.

"I'm sorry," she apologized quietly. Connor shook his head and pulled her from the bed and into his lap. She curled up against his chest and continued talking as if he hadn't even moved her. "I'm so used to having to compete with Buffy. Being in her shadow..."

"Dawn, look at me." It was a quiet command, but held so much power. Dawn looked up at him from her position in his lap. Connor touched his forehead to hers and declared, "when you're with me, there is no shadow. Only light."

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Fred stared at her friend as he processed all that she had told him. Her life in Plyea was her main personal demon. The only one that could cripple her. She waited patiently for Charles Gunn to lay down judgement. Her brown eyes widened as the larger man pulled her into his arms. Instantly, she wrapped her own arms around the strong muscles of his back. They sat in silence, in one another's arms, before Gunn broke the silence.

"My personal demons are the people I have failed to save. My sister and my aunt were both murdered by vampires while my brother and I watched from the staircase." Fred gasped. Her grip on her friend became tighter.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Angel's crimes were laid down at Cordelia's feet. His eyes were closed as if he could shut out her looks of accusation and disgust. His self-hating thoughts were stopped when Cordelia slipped her slender hand underneath his chin and kissed his lips gently. The dark vampire's eyes shot wide open. Cordelia pulled away and smiled down at him.

"The crimes are awful. Yes. But they made you into the man you are today. Without Angelus' evil, you wouldn't have became who you are. You wouldn't have wanted to become something better." Cordelia's voice spoke of truth. Angel stared up at the ex-cheerleader. His lips still tingled from her kiss, but somewhere in him his heart was still screaming at him in Buffy's voice. "But that's not your largest personal demon. We all know it. You're largest personal demon is Buffy Summers. And I'm okay with that. But they will use her against you."

"I can tell the difference." Angel swore. "Now. Maybe not when the First-" He cut off suddenly. Cordelia tilted her head.

"Angel?"

"I know why this war is going to be so bad. Whatever demon is going to rise, the First will be with it."


	23. Buffy Sized Hole

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Twenty Three-Buffy-Sized Hole**

Gunn and Fred were startled when Angel and Cordelia darted past them. Fred caught the worried look on Cordelia's face as she raced after Angel and tilted her head. The young Texan was so tempted to race after them, but Gunn needed her more. She looked back to him.

"How old were you when it happened?" She asked him, breaking the heavy stare he was giving Angel's office door. Gunn turned to her.

"Eight," he announced. "My brother was fourteen."

"You couldn't have done anything even if you wanted too, Gunn. You were too young then." She attempted, unused to comforting others.

"That doesn't stop me from thinking I should have tried."

"Is it you that you really think that about or about your brother?" Gunn jerked his attention back to the obversant southerner. She smiled gently at him.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Angel attacked the phone with vigor while Cordelia stood beside him silently. Buffy picked up at the third ring.

_"Summers Residence."_

"Hey, Buffy. It's Angel. We think we know why this coming power is going to be so strong." The silence on the other line told him Buffy was listening. "The First is going to rise with it." He could hear the wheels turning in his ex's head and cut her off before she could even speak her thoughts. "Dawn said something earlier that got me thinking. The Oracles made her face her own personal demons. She then challenged us to do the same. She said that it would use them against us. The First does the exact same thing because it can't physically harm us."

Cordelia stared at the man she loved as he talked to his ex-girlfriend. A small sigh escaped her as she listened to his rather one sided conversation._ 'Does he still know her so well that he doesn't even need to hear her speak?' _She wondered. Her heart ached slightly because she knew that no matter how hard she tried she could never fully own Angel's heart._ 'Maybe that's for the best,' _she thought bitterly,_ 'after all, he'll lose his soul if he reaches complete happiness.' _

"Cordelia!" She jumped in shock at the hand being waved in her face. Angel's worried brown eyes were staring at her. He lowered his hand slowly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine." She said quickly. Angel frowned. Cordelia motioned toward the phone. "What'd she say?"

"She thanked me and told me that if anything else happens to call her." Angel said with a shrug. "That and the usual 'if anything happens to Dawn...' threat." Angel fought the usual sigh as he realized that the same silence always clung to the end of their calls. The silence that 'I love you' usually filled when they were in Sunnydale. Briefly the vampire wondered if he would ever stop hoping to hear those words, no matter how cruel it was to the one that was waiting for him.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

It would be insensitive to ask his girlfriend why she felt that she wasn't good enough, Connor decided. He was so lost in his own pondering that he missed Dawn's soft was pulled from his thoughts when a pair of soft lips touched his shoulder. Connor glanced over at her. Dawn smiled gently up at him.

As he stared at his girlfriend, he thought of her previous words: _"Being in her shadow." 'Buffy.' _Connor realized. _'Without meaning too, Buffy Summers set a standard for her younger sister. Among the Slayer's friends, all Dawn was ever seen as was Buffy's little sister. They didn't accept her as is. They wanted a mini Buffy...' _He realized. He had detected it in her tone when she had spoken of the Scoobies before. He had seen it in her eyes when Buffy blew into the Hyperion demanding answers for her sister's lie.

"You okay?" Dawn's voice pulled him from his musing once more. He smiled at her and rolled over ontop of her. She stared up at him in confusion as he lifted one had to trace her cheekbone.

"I meant every word..." he reassured his girl, knowing without words that she needed to hear them. "You are the only one I want. No bouncy-haired sister is going to take me from you. Promise." Dawn laughed at his description of her sister. The young woman was slightly surprised at how easily Connor had seen to the heart of the problem and called her out on it. Still, she felt as though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders at his words.

For Connor, her smile was all he needed to know things were okay between them again. With a smile of his own, Connor leaned down at poured all of his feelings into one kiss. A small sigh escaped Dawn's lips. It wasn't of sadness or any negative emotion, she was simply basking in the feelings the Quor'Toth warrior held for her.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Buffy Summers was reeling from her conversation with Angel. A small sigh escaped her as she turned to tell her friends the news. Her heart was still racing slightly from hearing Angel's voice. That silence that they had become so accustomed to still hung in the air. Her want to say the words she knew that he was so desperately longing for still pulsed in her veins. The words would have came so easily. The words would not have been a lie. No matter how much she tried to fight it, she would always love Angel the most. No matter how hard Spike tried. Angel would always be waiting in the shadows like the vampire he was.

Never Will You Be Alone

Cordelia wasn't stupid. She knew that she would never be able to fill the Buffy Summers shaped hole inside Angel's heart. At best, the only thing the Seer could hope for was a little space to sit beside her. Just as Angel was foolish enough to believe he could ever fully get over the blonde Slayer, Cordelia wasn't stupid enough to believe that Buffy Summers wouldn't always come first.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Buffy had never seen her friends look so defeated. The news had not been taken lightly. Even Anya had nothing sarcastic or out of the way to say. Buffy sighed. She would have felt better if Anya had something, anything.

"So, the First is rising with this thing? Does that mean that whatever this new Big Bad is, is more powerful than the First?" Xander asked suddenly. Cold dread washed over Buffy as she thought of what that would mean. The First couldn't physically harm anyone without minons and, last she had checked, it could only take the shape of someone dead.

Buffy could see the hopelessness as it polluted her team. She suppressed the urge to scream at them to keep fighting, to keep hoping. The Slayer fought off an ironic laugh at the words she so badly wanted to say. They were the exact same things she was sure Angel would say to her if he were here.

"Even if it is, we can stop it." Buffy swore. Her friends' heads rose slowly one by one. Her words gave them hope.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Angel knew that he would have to alert his team at some point. Each time he moved to stand from his chair, he would recall the image of Gunn and Fred embracing. A look of pain etched on Fred's face as she rocked the larger man's body. He would always settle back in the chair. Finally, his eyes locked onto Cordelia sitting quietly on the couch, watching him.

"What about you?" He asked. Cordelia blinked in surprise.

"What about me?" She asked.

"You have your own personal demons," Angel stated blunty. A bitter smile came to the ex-cheerleader's face as she thought of the apartment she currently lived in. Dennis was probably getting lonely. She had faced her own demons there.

"I've already faced mine." She drawled as she thought of the old lady's biting words as she attempted to convince Cordelia she was nothing, that death better suited her. Angel stared at her knowingly.

"I believe you," he said. Cordelia gave him a half smile.

* * *

(A/N: Thank you, **Sheep of Destiny**. To all of you reading this story, I've started another story. Updates may be quicker or slower depending on how quickly ideas will come for this story. It's called _Send Me to Hell. _


	24. Sureness

**Never Will You Be Alone**

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Sureness**

Reprah rallied his armies only by standing. All fighting among themselves ceased their attacks as he towered above them.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the time is upon us. They grow prepared while we do nothing!" He exclaimed, "But fight among our own armies like dogs!" His fist struck the table in front of him. It collapsed underneath his power. Unknown to his many supporters, the First-a long time friend- stood beside him in the form of Buffy Summers.

His men on the floor seemed not to care that many would die in this battle-many, if not all, of their own. They wanted vengeance. They wanted much more than just the Slayer's head on a pike. They wanted to unleash literal and figural hell.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Connor awoke as he felt Dawn stir beside him. A small smile curved his lips as he turned toward her, only to fall quickly. Her green eyes were wide and blank. Her mouth had fallen open in a tiny 'o'. If he were to look downstairs, he would see Angel and Gunn holding up a weakened Cordelia.

"He's rising." Dawn whimpered as she came down. Connor sat up completely at that. His brown eyes wide.

"I thought you said we had more time-"

"I know what I said! He knows. Somehow, he knows…" Dawn whispered. Connor sighed heavily and pulled his quietly panicking girlfriend into his arms. He kissed her forehead as downstairs the phone rang.

"Angel," he heard the familiar voice of Buffy Summers say. "We've got bad news. You were right. The First is with this new power. A potential by the name of Eve was found dead in her apartment. That very same Eve was here with all of us for four days. They infiltrated my house!" Buffy exclaimed. "The First was here all along! Spying! And…we were none the wiser!"

"It's alright, Buffy," he heard his dad console. "You couldn't have known." He knew as well as his father did that, while well meant, those words of comfort would do nothing for the Slayer now. It didn't matter.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Buffy was ready to pull out her hair at its blonde roots. The death of Eve and the knowledge that the First had been hiding among them spooked the girls even more into questioning Buffy's ability. Unlike the Scoobies, the girls' doubt didn't enrage her, it saddened her.

_'You would have thought that I would have learned my lesson about keeping teenage girls in the dark with Dawn…'_ Buffy thought with a shake of her head. She wanted to defend her reasons, but knew even they held no merit. The girls felt betrayed and were willing to let Kennedy-an outspoken potential with a knack for talking too much and doing too little-speak on their behalf.

Her little army was crumbling and there wasn't much she could do about it. They were determined to let Kennedy and Faith lead them. Buffy twitched uncomfortably.

_'Some many girls have shown up at my doorstep in only a few days. They are all saying the same thing. Their Watchers were murdered in front of them, just like Faith's first Watcher.'_ Buffy sighed and sank down on the couch, thankful that the girls were asleep. She could feel her fellow Slayer still around. Faith was watching her from the stairs. But it wasn't the large female presence or even the limited use of the bathroom that bothered her. Dawn's room had been taken over by girls that weren't her sister.

"You can come down here, you know." Buffy finally said. At the foot of the stairs, Faith scowled.

_'B sounds as tired as she looks…' _The dark headed Slayer commented to herself. Only in her thoughts would she allow her worry for a once-upon-a-time friend seep through.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

As Angel hung up the phone, a nimble hand touched his shoulder. The vampire turned toward Cordelia as she looked up at him.

"He's rising, Angel. The war is starting." Her tone was frightened and breaking. Angel glanced upward as sounds came from the stairs. Connor, holding onto a frightened Dawn, came down the stairs. It was easy to see that the teens knew. Cordelia pulled Angel's face away from the direction of the stairs. "What do we do?" Her light brown eyes pleaded with Angel for answers. Angel raised his hand to her cheekbone. He caressed her soft cheek.

"We prepare. We fight. We win. We're the good guys, remember?" He whispered. Cordelia smiled into his strong hand and kissed his palm.

"Yeah, we're the good guys." She repeated. Her skin tingled from his touch. Every nerve ending in her body seemed to be alive with want for this man. She shook her head roughly when Connor cleared his throat from behind them.

"Good guys need to be in the training room." Connor stated easily. Dawn, who would have usually laughed at her boyfriend's bluntness, couldn't find it in her too. They weren't ready. A tiny voice told her that the armies Reprah had weren't either. The thought filled her with power. She pushed away from her boyfriend's arms and turned toward the rallied group.

"They're going down." Dawn stated powerfully. She had never been more certain. Reprah wouldn't get past them.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

"Connor, I want Dawn and you fighting…" Angel commanded as they entered the small training room. "I'll be taking on Cordelia. Gunn, you'll be fighting with Fred. We'll switch partners after one good round." Dawn nodded and watched while the much smaller Fred bit into her lip. Dawn could understand Fred's reluctance to change partners. Dawn only felt comfortable, completely comfortable with Connor.

Dawn didn't understand that Fred wasn't afraid of becoming someone else's partner. She was afraid of being partnered with _Dawn_ or _Connor_. As she met Gunn's eyes, she could see that he was thrilled at the challenge. Fred sighed and suppressed the urge to shake her head.

Angel could tell that his words had made the rest of his team nervous. He shook his head lightly as he stood in front of Cordelia. The ex-cheerleader met his gaze; her light brown eyes signaling her readiness for his challenge. Angel couldn't help but be proud. How different this woman was from the one that had waltzed into his life permanently a few years before. The frightened wannabe actress that had tricked Angelus into believing so many things-like that regular drinking water had been holy water-had grown into someone that made a valuable opponent and a valuable woman. As he started to think of Cordelia in a new light, Buffy's face once more imposed on him. Her green eyes seemed like a cutting board as a fist connected with his jaw. He stumbled back and glanced upward, startled. Cordelia stood before him with an arched eyebrow.

Dawn and Connor couldn't stop the elation that came with being paired again as they gave the fight their all. What had started in the middle of the floor had slowly progressed to the edge of the wall. Connor was distracted for a moment by the rise and fall of his girlfriend's chest as she avoided each strike he sent her way. His eyes widened as his legs were swept out from underneath him. For as quick as he was, Dawn was quicker. She pinned him to the floor with her feet. One was at his throat and the other hovered just above his penis. Connor gulped. Dawn smirked. All of her weight was on her heels. With a smirk, Dawn stepped away from her unmoving boyfriend.

The strategic side of Connor couldn't help but applaud the genius of that setting, but the man in him shuddered at the possibilities. If he had attempted to knock one of her feet out from underneath her, a part of him would have been crushed. It was a move that was designed to hold a male immobile. It worked. Connor jumped up just as she turned to grab a water bottle from the table. With slightly cat like movements, Connor slipped up behind her.

"You're slightly frightening, you know that?" Connor asked as he snaked his powerful arms around Dawn's waist. His sneak attempt had been useless, Connor knew. No matter where they were in the hotel, the connection between the two would always alert them of the others presence. The tingle would alert them. The way their bodies sung when they were in close quarters with one another or the way an electric shock would run through them when they touched would always give the other away. As badly as it scared him sometimes, Connor loved it.

The Destroyer found comfort in knowing that he was so close to someone that his very body reacted to her presence. He smiled and dropped a small kiss to her neck. She sighed lightly and leaned back against him even as the noises of the training around them kept going on.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

Buffy's confidence in the girls was slowly waning even as Faith trained them. They were faltering. They were afraid. Buffy couldn't blame them. The First had been in her home, a safe haven for all its occupants. But Buffy knew they had to overcome that fear or the First would slowly destroy them. Buffy turned away from the training girls and walked back into the kitchen. The sounds of soft whispers reached her. It was Willow's and Tara's voices. Buffy could catch the soft spoken words of love. Buffy smiled gently and walked even further into the kitchen. Her eyes landed on a scowling Kennedy. Buffy tilted her head.

_'More and more, it seems like Kennedy is jealous of Tara…'_ Buffy thought as she refilled her glass of Coke. At that precise moment, Tara and Willow left the living room and entered the kitchen. Willow easily took the two liter bottle from Buffy's hands and refilled Tara's and her own glass. She smiled lightly at Buffy, who smiled back. All three women jumped as Kennedy set her own glass into the sink roughly and stomped from the room.

"That time of month?" Willow whispered to Buffy. Buffy couldn't help the strong laugh that escaped her.

_Never Will You Be Alone_

"I'm going to go call Buffy," Dawn announced to the group as she stood from the armchair.

Gunn, who had been holding an icepack to the side of his jaw, shot her the thumbs up. His thrill at the challenge had turned to shame when Dawn Summers knocked him to the floor during the first few minutes of their fight. Fred was afraid to touch her stomach. The kick that Connor had delivered left a large bruise in its wake. Cordelia and Angel were fairing no better. Cordelia had taken on Connor while Angel had sparred with Dawn. It had been a close match between Angel and Dawn and a mockery of a battle between Cordelia and Connor. While Cordelia had grown a little better at holding her own against the two teens, she still wasn't up to par. The Seer blinked as Angel's hand touched the spreading bruise on her arm.

Cordelia glanced down in her lap to see the "dark avenger" staring back up at her; his brown eyes were both angry and remorseful. Cordelia knew that it would be no use to tell him that she understood just as Angel knew it would be no good to tell the ex-cheerleader that his son should have held back.

Angel momentarily broke the trance Cordelia had put him under, just in time to catch the last of Dawn's conversation with Buffy.

"Yes, you guys need to come to LA. I have the feeling he's going to attack here first." Angel sat up fully at that. His eyes briefly connected with his son's from across the coffee table. Cordelia couldn't stop the scowl that graced her beautiful features. Buffy Summers was coming to LA. The whole Scoobie gang was coming to LA. Dawn hung up the phone.

"We know." Cordelia cut off with a small sour tint. Dawn paid the jealousy in her friend's tone no mind.

"Not just Buffy. She's bringing with her over fifty potentials." Angel sighed.

"So much for quiet…" Angel muttered. Dawn bit into her bottom lip to keep a very Anya comment from rising: _well at least now you won't have to suffer through hearing Connor and I have sex! _

"It'll be okay." Dawn stated. "I'm sur-" Dawn trailed off as a thought stopped her. _'Would Buffy bring Spike?'_ She wondered as she eyed the couple in front of her. The usually care free Cordelia was now as taunt as a finely tuned guitar string. Angel himself was tense. _'Buffy coming back is going to put a curb in their progress…' _

"You're sure…?" Gunn drawled. Dawn shook her head.

"Sorry, random thought. I'm sure everything will be fine," Dawn consoled Cordelia and Angel. "A little warning, Spike may tag along." Angel's fists curled.

"Why?" He growled. Dawn rolled her eyes.

"Obsession, love, whatever you want to call it. Then again, he may stay behind and protect Sunnydale," Dawn shrugged. "We need all the help we can get and petty rivalries shouldn't get in the way of that. They won't, will they?" Dawn looked down at Angel from her position. The large vampire suddenly felt very small underneath the teenager's gaze. His team all suppressed varies looks of amusement.

"No…" Angel grumbled. Dawn smiled and patted his shoulder.

"Good."

* * *

**(A/N:: Terribly sorry for the long time, no update thing. Granted, I have the feeling that the readers of my other two stories, _Always A Dreamer_ and _The Best Kept Secrets_, aren't to happy. College just got a lot more harder...and tiring. Thank you, **_RedRiver 21_**, **_sarah7174_**, **_AlliBalli_**, and **_saku-lee_**.)**


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